Cavaliers blowout Johnson less Hawks 137-115

BY TIM SHIRER

CAVALIERS BEAT WRITER

(CLEVELAND, OH) - Entering Thursday night’s battle at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse between the Cleveland Cavaliers (39-9, 23-3 home) and the visiting Atlanta Hawks (22-26, 11-15 road) the Hawks had a 2-0 lead in the season series, blowing out the Cavs in the first two meeting that were back to back games with the two teams with a day off in between on November 27 (135-124) and November 29 (in Atlanta 117-101). The Cavs are not the only tough opponent the Hawks had beaten this season coming into tonight’s game. The Hawks had gone 6-2 against the Cavs, New York Knicks and Boston Celtics who are considered the best three teams in the Eastern Conference. They have gone 16-23 against the rest of the NBA. The Cavs added another loss to the Hawks record against the three top teams with a dominating 137-115 win.

The Hawks, who were without Jalen Johnson who scored a combined 44 points in the first two matchups, took an early 7-2 lead with 10:02 left in the first quarter. With 8:20 left Jarrett Allen was fouled and hit both free throws tying the game 12-12. The Cavs then took the lead 14-12 when Donovan Mitchell scored on a fast break after stealing the ball. With 4:01 left in the quarter the Cavs took a 29-21 lead when Ty Jerome hit a jumper. With 2:10 left the Cavs lead increased to 33-21 when the Hawks turned over the ball and Evan Mobley took it all the way to the hoop. As the quarter ended the Cavs led 39-29. Darius Garland and De’Andre Hunter led all scorers with 10 points each. The Cavs shot 65% (16 of 25) in the first 12 minutes meanwhile the Hawks hit 44% (11 of 25). The Hawks slightly outrebounded the Cavs 11-10.

With 8:32 left in the second quarter the Cavs took their biggest lead to that point up 48-34 when Jaylon Tyson dropped a layup in the basket. The Hawks immediate timeouts. The Cavs continued to maintain a double-digit lead through most of the second quarter until the 3:40 mark when Jaylon Tyson fouled Onyeka Okongwu. He hit one of two and the Cavs lead was 60-51. Zaccharie Risacher led all scorers with 20 for the Hawks. Garland led the Cavs with 16 points with the Cavs leading 71-63. The Cavs shot 60% (28 of 48), while the Hawks shot 47% (21 of 45) shooting 50% (10 of 20) in the second quarter. Neither team shot well from behind the three-point line, the Cavs shot 33% (6 of 18) and the Hawks shot 30% (6 of 20). The Cavs were winning the battle of the boards 25-20.

The Cavs took a 90-70 lead to open the second half, but with 5:31 left on the clock after an 8-0 run the Hawks cut the lead to 90-78 when Hunter hit two free throws. The Cavs responded scoring five straight points capped off by a three from Georges Niang with 3:40 left. Hawks coach Quin Snyder called an immediate timeout. By the 2:16 mark of the third quarter the Cavs led 101-80 when Mobley hit one of two free throws. Then with :51.0 left the Cavs blew things open on a dunk by Mobley giving the Cavs a 108-81. When the quarter ended the Cavs led 110-84. Risacher led all scorers with 25 points through three quarters. Garland and Mitchell were pacing the Cavs with 22 points apiece.

Early in the fourth quarter Jerome became the first player in NBA history to come off the bench and shoot 8 for 8 and the 11th players overall to do it. With 3:42 left both coaches called the game and cleared the benches. The Cavs bench finished it off securing the 137-115 win.

Risacher led all scoring pacing the Hawks in a losing effort with 30 points. Garland led the Cavs with 26 points and seven assists. Mitchell dropped in 24 points and had six assists along with Jerome who poured in 20 points. Mobley scored 15 points and had his 21st double double of the season and 88th of his career as he pulled down ten rebounds. Allen ended up one point shy off his 27th double double scoring nine points and pulling down 15 boards in the win.

The Cavs shot 58% (53 of 91) from the field outshooting the Hawks who shot 46% (41 of 90). From behind the three point arc the two teams were identical shooting 33% (13 of 39). In the first two matchups the points in the paint were dead even as each team averaged 52 points. Tonight, the Cavs outscored the Hawks 66-54 inside.

The Cavs will now have a couple days off before they take on the Dallas Mavericks (26-22, 12-12 road) at 3:30 pm on Sunday at RMFH. The Cavs took the first meeting this season in Dallas on January 3, 134-122..