What to watch for when Darius Garland, Cavs hosts Trae Young, Hawks
Today at 09:29 PM
After two days off, Darius Garland and the Cleveland Cavaliers remain at home to host Dyson Daniels and the Atlanta Hawks just before Thanksgiving. Last time out, the Cavs defeated the Toronto Raptors 122-108. Meanwhile, the Hawks are on a four-game losing streak, with their latest loss coming against the Dallas Mavericks 129-109.
This will be the first of three meetings between Cleveland and Toronto this year. After the first contest ends in Cleveland, both sides head to Atlanta for a Black Friday matinee battle. The series will then wrap up in late January in Cleveland.
The Cavs went 3-1 against the Hawks last season, so they should be confident about their chances heading into this matchup. However, with Atlanta currently on a four-game slide, Cleveland doesn’t want to give the Hawks an easy win. Here’s how the Cavs can maintain control of the game from wire to wire to ensure they clip Atlanta’s wings to keep them from taking flight.
The Cavs need to contain the Great Barrier Thief
A breakout star for the Hawks this season is Dyson Daniels. Acquired as part of the Dejounte Murray trade with the New Orleans Pelicans, Daniels has finally found a consistent role in Atlanta. If the Hawks ever trade Trae Young, Daniels could take over as the franchise’s lead guard. That’s just how good Daniels has been at the start of the season.
In 16 appearances, Daniels has averaged 14.4 points on 45.1% shooting, along with 3.1 rebounds, 3.1 steals, and 4.7 assists in 33.7 minutes per game. His two-way impact has carried the Hawks to victory, including a seemingly improbable upset of the Boston Celtics. So if Cleveland wants to keep Atlanta from rolling, it will start and probably end with slowing down Daniels.
Thankfully, Daniels has struggled against the Cavs throughout his career. In two appearances against Cleveland, 5.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 2.0 steals in 24.5 minutes per game. The best way to limit Daniels is for the Cavs to force him to take shots on the perimeter. If Cleveland can force Daniels to stay outside the arc, they can shut down a lethal factor in Atlanta’s offense.
Thanksgiving homecomings and reunions for the Cavs and Hawks
With Thanksgiving almost here, it’s time for families and friends to come together. When the Cavs host the Hawks, either team’s roster and coaching staff will provide plenty of that.
This game will be the first time since January 2023 that Northeastern Ohio’s own Larry Nance Jr. plays in Cleveland. Like his brother Pete Nance and father Larry Nance Sr., Nance Jr. once played for the Cavs but is now with the Hawks. While it’s unknown if Nance Jr. will get a tribute video, it’s always fun to have a Northeastern Ohio native play at home.
Coaching-wise, Donovan Mitchell, Georges Niang, and Cavs assistant coach Johnnie Bryant will reunite with Hawks head coach Quinn Snyder. Mitchell and Niang played for Snyder while they were together with the Utah Jazz. Bryant, meanwhile, coached alongside Snyder in Utah. It’ll be a homecoming for Hawks assistants Antonio Lang and Igor Kokoskov, as both were at one point assistants in their respective careers with the Cavs.
An NBA Cup preview?
Although Cleveland and Atlanta are both in the Eastern Conference’s Group C for the NBA Cup, this matchup will not impact the standings. Instead, when the Hawks host the Cavs later this week, it will count toward NBA Cup standings for Group C.
So, although it won’t have stakes on which teams punch their ticket to Las Vegas, this matchup in Cleveland could serve as a preview of what will happen in Atlanta soon after.
Despite losing to the Celtics, the Cavs are determined to win the NBA Cup. Their path to Las Vegas will be much easier if they beat the Hawks, so Cleveland getting a feel for how Atlanta plays could be advantageous in the long term for the Cavs.
Here’s where things stand in Group C:
- Atlanta Hawks: 2-1, -1 point differential
- Boston Celtics: 2-1, +14 point differential
- Cleveland Cavaliers: 1-1, +15 point differential
- Chicago Bulls: 2-1, +15 point differential
- Washington Wizards: 0-3, -39 point differential
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