The Hawks trailed Cleveland by 15 in the opening half, then won 114-111 at home to end their losing streak at three and move up to seventh at 3-3. Onyeka Okongwu finished with 29 points and 12 rebounds, and Quin Snyder closed with the same five that posted a +20.3 net rating last season.
How the Hole Got Filled
Cleveland won the opening period 28-16, and an 8-0 Cavaliers push made it 31-16 early in the second. That was the low point. Kenny Atkinson called a timeout at 37-37 in the middle of Atlanta's answer, and it didn't stop anything: a 13-0 burst from 5:14 to 1:45 before the break turned a 37-30 deficit into a 43-37 lead, and the Hawks went to the locker room up 46-44. An 8-0 spurt from 10:54 to 10:02 of the third pushed it to 57-46, Atlanta's biggest lead at 11. The game had one lead change and one tie all night. Once the Hawks took the lead, they never gave it back.
Grades for the Night
Okongwu gets an A: 29 points, 12 rebounds and a +7. Aaron Wiggins earns an A-minus, a day after coming off the injury report with a knee issue, for 10 points on 4-of-7 shooting, five boards, a block and a team-best +11 in just 12 minutes. Jalen Johnson is a B-minus, +7 with three assists but 3-of-7 from the field and three turnovers. CJ McCollum handed out six assists against three giveaways. Luguentz Dort had the worst mark on the night, -5 in 12 minutes on 1-of-2 shooting. James Harden led Cleveland with 24, and it wasn't enough.
What the Win Buys
The closing five of McCollum, Dyson Daniels, Johnson, Alexander-Walker and Okongwu outscored opponents by 20.3 per hundred possessions last season, and it finished this one too. That group should be the default after a stretch at -11.8 per game over the last ten. At 3-3 Atlanta sits seventh, a half game behind sixth-place Cleveland and one game clear of 11th. This was the second night of a back-to-back, after four games in the previous seven days. The next game is two days out, starting a road trip at New Orleans on October 31, Indiana on November 2 and Washington on November 4. Gueye and Veesaar are still out, so the frontcourt keeps leaning on Okongwu.
Who led the Hawks in the win over the Cavaliers?
Onyeka Okongwu led Atlanta with 29 points and 12 rebounds in the 114-111 win. James Harden led Cleveland with 24.
Where do the Hawks stand after beating Cleveland?
Atlanta is 3-3 and seventh in the East, a half game behind the sixth-place Cavaliers. The Hawks play next at New Orleans on October 31.
