Cavs fan - I come in peace!

[Admin]

First off welcome to Hawksquawk and thanks for being respectful as an opposing fan.

 

I certainly don't think the only way the Cavs would win would be if the refs gift it to them and I don't think many Hawks fans feel that the refs are the only way the Cavs can win either. The Cavs are a good team and played well down the stretch. I think you're underestimating both Brooklyn (who played very well after the AS break) as well as Washington. Neither of those teams quit against the Hawks while the Bulls clearly quit in game 6 and their coach has been rumored to be on the way out for a while now.  

 

Anyone who doesn't think that Lebron gets superstar calls must have a biased opinion of him. I'm not saying that's the case with you but it's very obvious that Lebron has gotten the benefit of the doubt throughout the years. That could be an issue in the final minutes of a close game but the series won't be determined by the calls that Lebron gets and it won't be nearly as bad as it was with the Heat when not only did Lebron get favoritism but Wade did as well. 

 

I expect a very good series and the games should be highly competitive, barring one team getting red hot from 3 as we each saw once this season in our matchups. Just because this seems to be our theme I'm going to take the Hawks in 6 but wouldn't be surprised if we had to go to 7 to win. 

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Hey guys.

I have a few questions for you...

1. I'm assuming that fans don't often watch regular season games of other teams, since most of the time the teams are playing at the same time. Having said that, why do so many Bulls and Hawks fans (and I'm sure others) seem to think refs favored or will favor the Cavs? In the Bulls series for example, there were a ton of no calls and bad calls but it seemed to me that it was going both ways. I don't really get this perception that LeBron gets a ton of calls - I watched almost every Cavs game this year and I don't remember coming away from a game thinking "wow we only won that one because of the refs". The entire Cavs team complains too much, but now that I watch other teams in the playoffs it seems like every team does this. I think that both James and Irving get some questionable foul calls, but I've also seen them called for a lot of offensive fouls this year. The way some Bulls fans were talking you would think that there wasn't a single call that went against LeBron in that series.....in reality there were a lot.

2. When the ECF matchup was set, the general feeling I got was that the Hawks were the underdog. This made sense to me as over the 2nd half of the season the Cavs had a better record. Then looking at "expert picks", it seems like at least half are picking the Hawks. So why do you guys feel so slighted over this? Just curious as more people in the media are picking the Hawks than I would have thought.

You come in peace, huh? That's what she said too

But she was really this:

So we have to watch you carefully as the series progresses.

So we gotta keep an eye on you as the series progresses.

Edited May 20, 2015 by TheNorthCydeRises

[Spursfanpeacemaker]

I thought Hotlanta made a new account lol.

[CrazyEye]

In General i think you shouldnt judge officiating, when you are a fan of one participating Teams. Always when i watch games of my Team, i think the refs rips us and atleast the people around me would agree. If i watch games in a neutral point if view, i am mostly satisfied with the refs.

Basketball is a Sport with a lot if rules, with room for interpretations which makes it hard to judge especially when u are biased.

But i would say the NBA officiating, likes to allow spectacular moves so for example u can make an extra step when u going for a dunk into the crowd ... Thats something which favours the cavs, but it would be the same if the Hawks choosed a more spectacular approach to the game. So it isnt really favoring or unfair even when they are technically bad calls.

and they linke Superstars too, even when i had to admit that lebron AS a superathletic player gets a lot if contact which isnt called ... But i guess when harden and curry wouldnt be stars, there actions wouldnt lead to that many freethrows.

PS: sry i had to fight with the german dictionary and the small keyboard from the mobile ... And the language but i hope it is possible to understand what i am saying

[JTB]

First off welcome to Hawksquawk and thanks for being respectful as an opposing fan.

I certainly don't think the only way the Cavs would win would be if the refs gift it to them and I don't think many Hawks fans feel that the refs are the only way the Cavs can win either. The Cavs are a good team and played well down the stretch. I think you're underestimating both Brooklyn (who played very well after the AS break) as well as Washington. Neither of those teams quit against the Hawks while the Bulls clearly quit in game 6 and their coach has been rumored to be on the way out for a while now.

Anyone who doesn't think that Lebron gets superstar calls must have a biased opinion of him. I'm not saying that's the case with you but it's very obvious that Lebron has gotten the benefit of the doubt throughout the years. That could be an issue in the final minutes of a close game but the series won't be determined by the calls that Lebron gets and it won't be nearly as bad as it was with the Heat when not only did Lebron get favoritism but Wade did as well.

I expect a very good series and the games should be highly competitive, barring one team getting red hot from 3 as we each saw once this season in our matchups. Just because this seems to be our theme I'm going to take the Hawks in 6 but wouldn't be surprised if we had to go to 7 to win.

I agree with the leader of our board.....you may not believe lebron gets superstar calls but he does just like all the other stars in this league.

Also for you as a cavs fan you need to realize the Hawks fans like us haven't had a legit superstar since nique! So we haven't seen the superstar calls for our team in a long while. By the way superstar calls are just apart of the game in the NBA. It doesn't mean game winning shots but it does mean keeping that superstars team in the game by giving him a few bad calls here and there.

Last if the game was to be called fair than I think the Hawks would surprise many and maybe even you! If a fair game I say Hawks in 5....to me our team is that much better but you guys have the best player on the planet so if the Hawks are to win its going to be in 6 or 7 probably 7 if we are looking for an upset realistically.

I'm not saying all this as disrespect by the way! Doesn't matter what superstar the Hawks face they will draw fouls on the Hawks and go to the line deservingly and undeservingly. One thing you need to remember is that all superstars draw fouls on every team in the NBA but so it won't hurt your team it's his to have your own superstar to neutralize the refs bad calls.

For the hawks to win we have to beat the best player in the world and the NBA refs.....not as easy to do when you don't have a superstar.

Edited May 20, 2015 by JTB

[CavsFan128]

Thanks for being kind to an outsider!

I don't see the Hawks as being better than the Cavs, but we'll see starting tonight! I know we had issues with the Hawks in the regular season so this will definitely be a challenge.

[Guest]

Thanks for being kind to an outsider!

I don't see the Hawks as being better than the Cavs, but we'll see starting tonight! I know we had issues with the Hawks in the regular season so this will definitely be a challenge.

You've gotta explain.

[Admin]

You've gotta explain.

 

Why? It's just like we think the Hawks are better despite the fact that we've had 12 playoff games be closer than they should have and that the Cavs had a better record since the AS break. That's the beauty of being a fan... we should all think our team is the better team when it's not obvious which team is the better of the two.

[JSmooooove]

 I'm not a believer that the NBA fixes anything...if the Cavs win this series, it will be because they earned it.

 

LOL.

 

Cleveland just so happens to get the number 1 pick the same season hometown kid LeBron is in the draft.

 

Chicago, by some miracle, obtains the number 1 pick the same season D-Rose (hometown kid) is coming out.

 

3 of the last 4 seasons, Cleveland gets the number 1 pick (odds of this happening are WAY less then 1%). It just so happens all of a sudden LeBron can now come back to his hometown team with stacked assets.

 

There are plenty more examples. 

 

No chance the NBA fixes anything...

[SerbianHawk]

This is happening? Still looks like a dream to me!

[AHF]

LOL.

 

Cleveland just so happens to get the number 1 pick the same season hometown kid LeBron is in the draft.

 

Chicago, by some miracle, obtains the number 1 pick the same season D-Rose (hometown kid) is coming out.

 

3 of the last 4 seasons, Cleveland gets the number 1 pick (odds of this happening are WAY less then 1%). It just so happens all of a sudden LeBron can now come back to his hometown team with stacked assets.

 

There are plenty more examples. 

 

No chance the NBA fixes anything...

 

'The odds of them winning in 2011, 12 and 14 are roughly 0.05%.

 

I don't buy the conspiracy theory because I don't see an economic motive for the NBA to want Lebron in Cleveland and because I don't see the auditors risking their business on fixing the NBA lottery when they have no financial stake in its outcome and receive little money for auditing the process, but Cleveland has definitely beat the odds.

[SalvorMallow]

'The odds of them winning in 2011, 12 and 14 are roughly 0.05%.

 

I don't buy the conspiracy theory because I don't see an economic motive for the NBA to want Lebron in Cleveland and because I don't see the auditors risking their business on fixing the NBA lottery when they have no financial stake in its outcome and receive little money for auditing the process, but Cleveland has definitely beat the odds.

 

Just because the odds are low doesn't mean the odds are 0.  I think that's what people have a hard time swallowing.

[AHF]

Just because the odds are low doesn't mean the odds are 0.  I think that's what people have a hard time swallowing.

 

It is also worth pointing out that the odds of any particular set of outcomes in three years of the lottery are extremely low.

 

For example, the odds of Sacramento landing where they did in the lottery the last 3 years (5th, 7th and 8th) is only 1.8%.

[Plainview1981]

Lol, the OP is Windhorst.  Nah, he's too busy ripping Curry for having his daughter at the press conference last night.  If I'm Curry (who I can't stand) I let my 2yo answer any questions Windhorst asks from now on.

 

Put that in your sausage hole and smoke it, Brian

 

{Sorry for the tangent, had that on my mind.}

 

I don't know about Steph Curry's daughter, but I do know that we don't get to see his mom enough.

[Dejay]

Who is this Hots imposter? Who stole Hots?

[thecampster]

Okay, let me see if I can answer the OP's questions.

 

2nd half of the season records do not matter.  The Hawks rested a different player (sometimes 3) every game for the last 30 games.  The Hawks had HC advantage locked up by the all-star break and put it in cruise control.  Throw that record out the window.

 

Teams with length and rim protectors give the hawks fits.  Brook Lopez and Joe Johnson's length at their positions was extremely troubling for the Hawks. This length limits the number of successful drives Jeff and Dennis can have.  The Hawks play 3 distinct concepts in their offense.  Shoot the 3, pick and rolls at the elbows and point guard hard drives.  It is really that simple.  Length disrupts two of those. Washington comes with a unique problem for the Hawks in having 2 big defenders in the lane, Nene and Gortat.  These two series were issues of matchups and not indicative of the Hawks abilities.

 

Everything begins and ends with Jeff Teague's speed.  In the Brooklyn series, Teague reinjured an ankle that gave him fits the entire second half.  In both the Brooklyn and Washington series, he stepped on a big's foot (Lopez and Nene). This limited Jeff's ability to elevate on his shot and drive to the rim.  The ankle began to heal in the last 2 games and has now had 3 days of rest.

 

NBA refs watch film of every team before ref'ing a game. They have prep too. This is how they know where to stand to see calls, etc.  If you watch James play, he has bread and butter plays intended to draw fouls. Many times, you can hear the whistle before the contact. The refs just know it is going to happen.  Sometimes...you hear the whistle blow but the contact doesn't occur.  It only takes 2 or 3 bad calls to completely turn a game. This is the complaint here.  Conversely, the Hawks rely heavily on jump shooting and screens. This limits the number of foul calls they would receive.  passing and team ball does not yield foul calls like ISO ball. There is always a disparity.  Because passing does not give the referees a chance to anticipate the foul, many times it goes unnoticed.  This is a non-issue for me.

 

Foul calls part 2 - Let me take you back a few years to the Celtics series.  Out of bounds play.  Hawks player is fouled before the inbounds. Refs call the foul, then fail to give him shots and the ball...instead, just give the ball out of bounds again.  This type of call is consistent with our post seasons.

 

Foul calls part 3 - The hatchet man - Joey Crawford is the referee on the floor in nearly every game the NBA wants the Hawks to lose.  If Crawford is ref'ing our game, expect Hawks fans to cry foul.  Crawford is notorious around here for "keeping games close".

[thecampster]

http://www.nba.com/2012/news/05/11/hawks-celtics-foul.ap/index.html This should sum up exactly what hawks fans here are talking about.

In this case, the refs even reviewed it on replay and still made the call against Atlanta.  This happens to us every year at pivotal times.

[Guest]

Who is this Hots imposter? Who stole Hots?

 

Ey, I'm just going with it.

[DrReality]

Some pretty touchy fouls in the first half not to mention we missed some FTs

[JETSET]

You are blind as a bat if you dont see the obvious calls.

Fk these biased ass refs