Cavs withstand Hawks comeback in 122-116 win

Donovan Mitchell scored 31 points, Evan Mobley had 22 points and 19 rebounds, and the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Atlanta Hawks 122-116 in a wild contest that saw both teams carry double-digit leads. The Cavs led by as many as 18 points, but nearly collapsed in the fourth quarter before getting some defensive stops in critical moments. If tonight’s game is an indication of how things would look in a playoff series between these two teams, buckle up.

Atlanta has been inarguably the hottest team in the NBA over the last month, and they showed it down the stretch. Their two best players, Jalen Johnson (12 points, 11 rebounds) and Dyson Daniels (12 points, six assists), both fouled out late in the fourth quarter, making things slightly easier for the Cavs. Nickeil Alexander-Walker finished with 25 points, hitting some very tough shots along the way.

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It was a back-and-forth affair from Rocket Arena, with both teams exchanging blows throughout. Atlanta outscored Cleveland by 11 in the second quarter, taking a seven-point lead into the half. The Cavs countered with a haymaker, posting 44 points and giving themselves a 17-point lead going into the fourth. Expectedly, the Hawks mounted an extraordinary comeback in the final frame to nearly complete the effort.

Mitchell was excellent all night and started his takeover in the third quarter, scoring 13 of his 31 in that frame. James Harden (21 points, five rebounds) also caught a little fire in that period, drilling back-to-back threes midway through the quarter to force an Atlanta timeout. The backcourt led the way in the third and propelled the Cavs to perhaps their best quarter of the season.

While he has been the recipient of fan ire all season, Mobley played exceptionally tonight. The defending Defensive Player of the Year finished with 22 points, 19 rebounds (tied for a career-high), and three blocks on 8-15 shooting. Cleveland was a +20 in Mobley’s minutes, and that certainly passes the eye test. He had a game-changing effort that the Cavs will need in the postseason if they hope to make some noise.

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Publish date : 2026-04-09 02:14:00

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