Hawks at Cavaliers
THE STORY: The Cleveland Cavaliers will host the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday in their first game since reshuffling 20 percent of their roster at the NBA’s trade deadline. Despite rumors that swirled around Josh Smith for most of the season, the Hawks remained intact and will push toward the playoffs with a roster that has been ravaged this season by injuries. They begin Sunday in third place in the Southeast Division, 7 1/2 games behind Miami and as the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference.
TV: 3 p.m. ET, Fox Sports South, Fox Sports Ohio
ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (16-25): In the span of three days, the Cavaliers traded Ramon Sessions to the Los Angeles Lakers for Luke Walton, Jason Kapono and a first-round pick, waived Kapono and signed Manny Harris and Donald Sloan for the rest of the season. On top of that, coach Byron Scott said rookie Tristan Thompson would take over at center for the foreseeable future. The Cavaliers might be just two games out of the final playoff spot in the East, but this is still a team clearly focused on the future and not this season.
ABOUT THE HAWKS (25-19): Smith requested to be traded, but it wasn’t granted. Kirk Hinrich was a candidate to be moved because of his expiring contract, but instead remained in Atlanta. A team that has lost eight players and a combined 95 games to injuries stood firm at the trade deadline, prompting coach Larry Drew to address it prior to Friday’s win over the Washington Wizards. His message was simple: His team had survived the injuries and schedule, now it is time to focus on postseason positioning.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. Sloan began the season on the Hawks’ roster, spent time with the New Orleans Hornets and was picked up by the Cavs out of the Development League.
2. These two teams meet again Wednesday at Philips Arena in Atlanta.
3. Joe Johnson had 25 points in the first meeting between these teams, which the Hawks won at home 121-94 in late January.