Okongwu's 29 Points Lift Hawks Past Cavaliers 114-111
Atlanta snapped a three-game losing streak behind a season-high performance, while Cleveland's three-game winning run ended at State Farm Arena.
By Riya Zhao ·
Onyeka Okongwu scored a season-high 29 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead the Atlanta Hawks to a 114-111 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday night.
The win snapped a three-game losing streak for Atlanta, improving their record to 3-3. It also halted Cleveland's three-game winning streak, leaving the Cavaliers with a 3-2 record. Nickeil Alexander-Walker added 25 points for the Hawks, while Aaron Wiggins contributed 20 points on 8-of-14 shooting from the bench.
Cleveland's James Harden led all scorers with 24 points, and Donovan Mitchell added 22. Sam Merrill went 4-for-8 from three-point range for the visitors. Mitchell cut Atlanta's lead to one point on a driving layup with 20.6 seconds remaining.
Alexander-Walker then made two free throws with 15.3 seconds left to restore the lead to three points. Mitchell attempted two shots to tie the game on the final possession but missed both attempts.
The Hawks trailed by 15 points in the first quarter, their fourth consecutive game starting with such a deficit. They scored just 16 points in the opening frame, their lowest mark for any period this season. However, Atlanta forced Cleveland to match that low scoring output in the second quarter.
Atlanta mounted a 19-2 run in the second quarter to flip a 35-24 deficit into a 43-37 lead. The game was the second half of a doubleheader at State Farm Arena, following the Atlanta Dream's 80-69 win over the Golden State Valkyries in Game 6 of the WNBA Finals. Both teams return to action on Saturday, with the Hawks visiting New Orleans and the Cavaliers traveling to Milwaukee.
