Onyeka Okongwu scored a season-high 29 points, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker sank two crucial free throws with 15.3 seconds remaining as the host Atlanta Hawks snapped a three-game losing streak with a 114-111 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday.
Atlanta also snapped Cleveland’s three-game winning streak and extended its home winning streak against the Cavaliers to five games.
The Hawks led by 10 with 4:34 remaining, but Cleveland twice pulled within one point, the second time on Donovan Mitchell’s basket with 21 seconds left. Alexander-Walker made two free throws to restore the three-point lead and the Atlanta defense survived two last-second shots from Mitchell that could have tied the game.
Okongwu went 11-for-17 from the field, including four 3-pointers, and added a season-high 12 rebounds. Alexander-Walker shot 8-for-17 from the field and also made four 3-pointers.
Aaron Wiggins added a season-high 20 points and seven rebounds off the bench, while Jalen Johnson scored 17.
Cleveland got a season-high 24 points from James Harden and 22 points from Mitchell. Sam Merrill came off the bench to make four 3-pointers and score 16.
Cleveland limited the Hawks to 23.8% shooting in the first quarter and, sparked by an early 10-3 run, took a 28-16 lead. It was the fewest points scored in a quarter by Atlanta this season.
The Cavs led 35-24 with 7:22 left in the first half, but Atlanta went on a 13-2 run to tie at 4:33 on a runner by Okongwu. The Hawks took a 46-44 halftime lead.
Atlanta pushed its lead to 61-50 on Alexander-Walker’s 3-pointer with 9:14 left in the third quarter. Cleveland cut the margin to 83-82, fueled by nine third-quarter points from Harden. Atlanta scored 43 points in the period and entered the fourth quarter with an 89-82 lead.
