Dribbles: Cavs Serve Up Ice-Cold Turkey, Stunned By Hawks In First Home Loss

November 27, 2024

CLEVELAND — Random dribbles from the Cavaliers’ 135-124 stunner of a home loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday. …

1. Some nights you just don’t have it. For the first time this season, that was the Cavs. The shots weren’t falling, or at least not as many as usual. The defense was way too soft. Add it all up, and things just got away from them.

2. Those aren’t the Cavs we’re used to seeing.

3. Coach Kenny Atkinson: “We haven’t had a stinker yet this year — that was a stinker. That happens in the NBA. We kind of got what we deserved tonight.”

4. Atkinson was right. These things happen in the NBA and the Cavs did indeed deliver a big ol’ stale turkey. But it’s hard to complain about a team that’s 17-2 (and 10-1 at home).

5. If there’s a lesson to be learned here, it’s that this is in fact pro basketball, and you can’t be a step slow defensively. As the Cavs found out, you’ll get burned.

6. Donovan Mitchell on the loss: “Our defensive effort wasn’t where it needed to be. That’s why we lost. … Tonight it was our (lack of) physicality. It was just too easy for them.”

7. The scene in the locker room was about what you’d expect. No one was too high, no one too low. The Cavs had lost. Nothing they could do about it now. Just gotta move on to the next. There are, after all, 63 more of these things to go.

8. More Mitchell: “You gotta go through these moments. You gotta go through it and learn from it.”

9. This definitely was a weird one. The Cavs led by a 10-0 count … then built that to 30-11. After that, though, they seemed out of sorts. And especially, a step (or three) much too slow defensively.

10. Meanwhile, the Hawks (8-11) just kept battling, kept shooting lights out. Trae Young ran Atlanta’s offense to near perfection, compiling 20 points and a whopping 22 assists, a career high. Cleveland offered little resistance, surrendering a season-high in points overall.

11. Atkinson said he’s actually happy the teams meet again Friday afternoon in Atlanta. “They played great,” he said of the Hawks. “They absolutely took this game and dominated us.”

12. Mitchell finished with 30 points, but went just 10-of-24 from the field. Like just about everyone, he struggled to make shots when the Cavs needed one most.

13. Evan Mobley was fantastic with 22 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, five steals and three blocks. But even he missed a few key free throws near the end.

14. This isn’t meant to pick on anyone. But the magic that lifted the Cavs to a 15-0 start and 10-0 at home vanished for a day. As Atkinson and the players said, hey man, it happens.

15. The Cavs trailed 98-95 after three quarters. It felt like they were down 20. Then they went on a 7-0 run to start the fourth. That felt like maybe they’d pull this off. But the Hawks simply wouldn’t go away. They looked more like the Cavs than the actual Cavs.

Atlanta built the lead to 126-118 with 2:22 to go. Ty Jerome gave the Cavaliers life with a steal and quick 3-pointer off the break. For a moment, it was easy to think the Cavs may do it again. Maybe the miracle was just around the corner.

17. Those thoughts ended moments later, when Young buried a three that seemed to come from midcourt. Just know that it was from a long, long way away. It served as the official dagger, leading the fans to the exits.

18. Darius Garland added 19 points and seven assists. Jarrett Allen went for 17 points (on 6-of-7 shooting) and 10 boards. So offense wasn’t the issue here. All the problems came at the other end. The Cavs said they understand that.

19. It was other smaller things that also doomed the Cavaliers. They were outrebounded by a 50-45 count. They’re also still fouling too much. Not all of the calls are actual fouls — but a lot of them are. That needs cleaned up.

20. De’Andre Hunter torched the Cavs to the tune of 26 points off the bench. He was a major reason why the Hawks won this game. Rookie forward and No. 1 overall draft pick Zaccharie Risacher scored 17, including 13 in the first three minutes of the third quarter. Ouch.

21. Look, everyone’s assessment was correct — you’ll have nights like this in the NBA. What’s important is it doesn’t become anything close to a regular occurrence. The Cavs believe it was an aberration, and not the norm. It’s probably a safe bet to believe them.

22. Tipoff against the Hawks on Friday is slated for 2:30 p.m. It’s an NBA Cup game. The Cavaliers owe them one. Let’s see what they can serve up.