Jalen Johnson delivered a 29-point, 12-rebound, 12-assist triple-double to guide the Atlanta Hawks to a 130-123 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night at State Farm Arena.
The win moved Atlanta to 12-8 and eliminated Cleveland from the in-season tournament, leaving both teams out of the quarterfinal round.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker added 30 points and hit a crucial late 3-pointer that capped a 7-0 burst in under 30 seconds as the Hawks created the final separation.
Donovan Mitchell scored 42 points for the Cavaliers, marking his sixth 30-plus outing in his last eight games and trailing only his season high.
Zaccharie Risacher knocked down the go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:09 left to break a 123-123 tie after Cleveland had erased a late deficit.
Alexander-Walker followed with a pull-up three at the 47.7-second mark after Mitchell missed a chance to tie the score on the previous possession.
Atlanta kept Cleveland without a point over the final 2:03, despite the visitors holding a four-point edge with 2:25 remaining.
The Hawks opened the night with a 21-4 first-quarter surge and stretched their lead to 13 before the Cavaliers answered with a 14-0 run in the second.
Mitchell shot 15-for-28 from the field and 7-for-15 from deep while logging 35 minutes.
Darius Garland contributed 15 points and 10 assists, and Evan Mobley posted 20 points, 14 rebounds, and seven assists in Cleveland’s frontcourt.
Jarrett Allen added eight points and eight rebounds, and De’Andre Hunter finished with 16 points in 32 minutes.
Atlanta’s starting unit combined for 101 points, powered by Johnson, Alexander-Walker, and Risacher, who scored 14 on 5-of-6 shooting.
Onyeka Okongwu produced 18 points and seven boards while Dyson Daniels provided 10 points, nine assists, and eight rebounds in an all-around effort.
Mouhamed Gueye added 12 points off the bench, giving Atlanta an interior lift as the Hawks shot 53 percent overall.
Cleveland finished at 46 percent from the field and hit 17 threes but struggled late as Atlanta’s defensive pressure closed the game.
Each team now holds one win in the regular-season series after splitting their first two meetings, with two matchups remaining in April during the final week of the schedule.
Cleveland returns home to face the Boston Celtics on Sunday as it looks to rebound after the tournament exit.
Atlanta travels to Philadelphia for a matchup with the 76ers, carrying momentum from one of its most balanced offensive outings of the season.
