Game Thread: Hawks at Cavs -- 12.16.23
Posted: Sat Dec 16, 2023 11:32 pm
NBA.comKeys to the Game
HOME COOKIN’
After wrapping up a four-game road trip on Thursday night in Boston, the ailing Cavaliers return home looking to get back into the win column when they welcome the Hawks to town for a Saturday night showdown.
The Cavs come home looking for some positive vibrations. On Thursday night, the Celtics extended Cleveland’s losing streak to three after winning the first game of the trip in Miami. On Friday, it was announced that Darius Garland suffered a fractured jaw in the previous night’s loss and would likely miss a month of action, as well as the news that forward Evan Mobley will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his left knee and will miss six-to-eight weeks.
The Hawks got a much-needed win of their own last night in Toronto – snapping a five-game skid that had kept them winless in December. All three members of Atlanta’s starting frontline notched double-doubles and Trae Young led both teams with 38 points and 11 assists.
Cleveland has won seven of the last eight over the Hawks at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, including a 23-blowout victory back on November 28.
FOLLOW THE LEADERS
Canada is glad that Trae Young is returning to the States, leaving Toronto after two games averaging 36.5 points and 14.0 assists and a 21-point win on Friday night.
Young comes to Cleveland ranked 2nd in the league in assists (10.8apg, just behind Tyrese Haliburton) and 8th in scoring (27.7ppg). He’s already gone for 30-plus points on six occasions this season and 40-plus in three more.
With Young as the league’s 8th-leading scorer at 27.7pgg, Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell comes in at No. 9 with a 27.6ppg mark.
Mitchell put on a show the last time Atlanta came to town – going off for a game-high 40 points to go with 11 boards, five assists and three steals.
DOUBLE TROUBLE
Just as the backcourt will need to pick up the slack with Darius Garland out, the frontcourt – especially Jarrett Allen – will have to turn it up with Evan Mobley sidelined for an extended period.
J.A. was quiet on the four-game trip. He led Cleveland with 10 boards on Thursday night in Boston and finished with 14 points on Tuesday, but that was his only double-figure scoring performance in his last five outings.
In eight games against Atlanta as a Cavalier, Allen’s averaging 12.6 points and 10.3 boards per game.
He’ll have his work cut out for him on Saturday night...
