The Cleveland Cavaliers ended the Hawks three-game winning streak Saturday night, with a 116-95 victory at State Farm Arena. Trae Young returned to action after missing Atlanta’s game down in Miami, but his return was marked short.
Cleveland’s Isaac Okoro, a Georgia-Native, hit Young with an inadvertent elbow on a drive to the basket with 8:43 remaining in the game. With the Hawks down by 25, Young did not return and it was later confirmed that he entered the league’s concussion protocol, putting doubt into his status for Monday’s game against the Sacramento Kings. Young finished with 15 points and 5 assists.
Cleveland extended their winning streak to seven, the longest active streak in the NBA. This is without Evan Mobley and Darius Garland who have missed extended time with injuries. The Cavaliers controlled this game from the opening tip, cruising to an easy 21-point win on the road. Cleveland had seven players score in double-digits, led by Donovan Mitchell, who finished with 18 points and 8 assists.
Jalen Johnson continued his breakout season with a strong stat-sheet filled performance, with 20 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal and 2 blocks. It was not enough to move the needle but his consistency is turning him into one of the Hawks’ best players. Dejounte Murray was also stellar again, with a 24-point outing, while also grabbing 9 rebounds and dishing out 5 assists.
Other than that, it was tough sledding for the Hawks. Saddiq Bey turned in a forgetful showing with 0 points on 0-12 shooting overall. Clint Capela was not much better finishing with 6 points on 3-8 shooting overall. Even with Young’s late-exit, Atlanta was never really in this game.
The Hawks will shift their focus to the Sacramento Kings Monday night as they hit the road for a quick two-game road trip. The Hawks record drops to 18-24 overall and they need wins any which way to avoid falling further in the standings. Tip-off for Monday’s game in Sacramento is at 10:00 p.m. eastern.
