Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley made quite a statement in the first part of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ home-and-home set with the Atlanta Hawks, combining for 53 points and 26 rebounds Wednesday in a 122-116 victory.
It’s now the Hawks’ turn to host. And there is significantly more pressure on them as the Eastern Conference teams meet Friday in Georgia.
Cleveland (51-29) will either finish third or fourth in the East, but fifth-place Atlanta (45-35) must win one of its final two games in order to clinch a playoff berth. Falling out of the top six — and into the play-in tournament — is a concern for the Hawks.
“If we can get in the playoffs, I don’t think we care who we play,” said Atlanta coach Quin Snyder, whose club is 25-10 since Jan. 21. “We just want to get in there, truly. We’ve got a new group since midseason. Let’s see what we can do.”
The Toronto Raptors and Orlando Magic are both within a game of the Hawks, who would win a tiebreaker over the Magic and lose one to the Raptors. If Atlanta remains in fifth, it likely will face the Cavaliers in the first round.
Resting All-Star power forward Jalen Johnson, aggressive shooting guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker or defensive ace Dyson Daniels in the regular-season finale is not an option, unless the Hawks win the rematch.
Cleveland, on the other hand, plans on keeping all of its key players in street clothes for the next two games to avoid potential injuries.
“I think both teams were trying to send a message in this first one,” said Mitchell, who is dealing with an ankle injury. “It’s not the playoffs yet, but that was playoff intensity that you could feel in the arena. It was live.”
Alexander-Walker scored 10 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, but Johnson and Daniels both fouled out down the stretch. Mitchell and James Harden wore them out by repeatedly attacking the basket.
Mitchell finished with 31 points, including four free throws in the last 92 seconds after Atlanta pulled within 118-116. Reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year Mobley racked up 22 points, a career-high-tying 19 rebounds and three blocked shots.
Mobley and Mitchell were both a plus-20 and the main reason why the Cavaliers held on for the win, despite blowing almost all of a 105-87 lead in the final 11 minutes.
“Evan played with such great force tonight,” Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson said. “I know it’s not perfect, but rebounding the ball and getting into the paint, I thought he was great.”
Cleveland won both matchups at home, while the Hawks were a 130-123 winner on Nov. 28. CJ McCollum and Jonathan Kuminga hadn’t been acquired by Atlanta when the first two games were played last calendar year.
Harden also wasn’t with the Cavaliers, who are 19-6 with him in the lineup since ending his contentious stint with the Los Angeles Clippers. He scored 21 points Wednesday.
“They’re really good because James can play different ways for them,” Snyder said. “He can play in transition, have a 15-16 assist night, and he can score when it’s needed. That combination with Donovan has made Cleveland even tougher to play.”
Atlanta is in great shape physically, with the exception of backup center Jock Landale (right high ankle sprain). Landale was the victim of a flagrant foul by Goga Bitadze of the Orlando Magic on April 1, suffering the injury that will keep him out for 3-6 weeks.
Landale is in a walking boot from what Snyder termed “a dirty play” and could wind up missing the entire postseason.
“Part of him probably wants to play in the boot he’s in,” Snyder said, managing a weak smile. “But in Jock’s case, with that injury, you don’t know how long he’s going to be out. He’s going to do everything to get back as soon as he can.”
