Donovan Mitchell scored a game-high 40 points and added 11 rebounds to help lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 128-105 win over the visiting Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday.
The result left Cleveland with a 3-1 record in East Group A play during the NBA in-season tournament, but it wasn’t enough for the Cavaliers to advance to the quarterfinals. Atlanta finished group play 1-3.
Darius Garland added 19 points and eight assists for Cleveland, which won for the sixth time in eight games. Evan Mobley added a double-double of 17 points and 19 rebounds, and Georges Niang recorded 12 points and seven rebounds.
Atlanta was paced by Bogdan Bogdanovic and De’Andre Hunter, who each had 18 points. Saddiq Bey and Clint Capela added 14 points apiece for the Hawks, who lost their second consecutive game. Capela grabbed a team-high nine rebounds.
Trae Young struggled throughout, scoring just 13 points on 3-for-14 shooting (2 of 8 from 3-point range).
After leading 64-61 at halftime, Cleveland opened the third quarter on a 23-11 run to push its lead to 15.
Atlanta cut the deficit to six on a three-point play by Onyeka Okonwgu with 1:52 remaining in the quarter. Garland then pushed the advantage to 12 on a pair of 3-pointers to close out the quarter.
Atlanta was held to just 15 points in the fourth quarter en route to its second road loss in as many games.
Atlanta led by 10 points in the first half, before Cleveland outscored the Hawks 23-10 over the final 6:25.
The Cavaliers shot 54.3 percent (25-for-46) in the half en route to a 64-61 lead. Mitchell scored 17 points, and Mobley added 13 points and 10 rebounds.
Bogdanovic led the Hawks with 13 first-half points.
Atlanta’s Hunter left the game in the first half with a right pinky dislocation before returning in the third quarter.
The Hawks played in their second game without Jalen Johnson, who will be sidelined 4-6 weeks with a left wrist fracture.
–Field Level Media
