Atlanta Hawks top Cleveland Cavaliers again, reach NBA Cup knockout rounds

ATLANTA – The Cleveland Cavaliers must be sick of the Atlanta Hawks by now, with coach Kenny Atkinson admitting that his side were outplayed once again on Nov 29.

De’Andre Hunter scored 23 points off the bench as the Hawks swooped for another National Basketball Association (NBA) victory over the Cavs – their second in two days over the Eastern Conference leaders.

Atlanta, who handed Cleveland their first home defeat of the season on Nov 27, came out on top at home, parlaying a 52-50 half-time lead into a 117-101 triumph.

It was enough to put them into the NBA Cup knockout rounds as winner of their group, after the Boston Celtics beat the Bulls 138-129 in Chicago.

“They outplayed us,” Atkinson said, after the Cavaliers were held to their lowest points total of the season. “Sometimes you just have to call it like you see it.

“They beat us pretty good, I think, two straight games. I don’t know what to say. You just have to give them credit. They’ve been the better team.

“We didn’t play great either game, and this is the NBA. They are a talented team. We obviously didn’t shoot the ball well tonight.”

Trae Young scored 21 points and handed out 11 assists and Jalen Johnson chipped in 20 points for Atlanta, who had six players score in double figures.

Darius Garland scored 29 points and Evan Mobley added 24 points for the Cavaliers, who opened the season on a 15-0 tear and at 17-3 still boast the best record in the league.

The Hawks also held Cavs star Donovan Mitchell to 12 points and outscored Cleveland 39-23 in the third quarter to take control for good in the contest that was one of 10 NBA Cup group-stage games scheduled on the Thanksgiving holiday.

The NBA champions Celtics maintained their hopes of advancing as a wild card in the in-season tournament with their win over Chicago – who came into their game fighting the Hawks for group supremacy.

Jayson Tatum scored 35 points and pulled down 14 rebounds and reserve Payton Pritchard scored 19 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter, to help Boston pull away in a see-saw battle that featured 14 lead changes.

Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis scored 21 points apiece for the Celtics, while Nikola Vucevic led the Bulls with 32 points and 11 rebounds.

The New York Knicks, buoyed by Jalen Brunson’s fourth-quarter heroics, improved to 3-0 in Cup play with a 99-98 victory over the Hornets in Charlotte.

The Hornets challenged despite missing five of their top six scorers, with LaMelo Ball, Miles Bridges, Tre Mann, Grant Williams, Mark Williams and Nick Richards all sidelined.

“Outside looking in, you’re thinking they’ve got some key guys out, so this is supposed to be an easy game. That’s not how the NBA works,” New York’s Josh Hart said after the game.

Brunson scored 11 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter, draining a pair of free throws with 8.6 seconds left to push New York’s lead to four points.

The win left the Knicks tied atop their group with the Orlando Magic, who beat the Brooklyn Nets 123-100.

The Knicks and Magic will face off for the group crown on Dec 3.

Franz Wagner scored 29 points with eight rebounds and eight assists to fuel the Magic to their fifth straight win.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 19 points for Orlando, who had little trouble with a Nets team missing top scorer Dennis Schroder – who was absent for personal reasons – and injured playmaker Cam Thomas.

Elsewhere, Minnesota halted their four-game losing run with a 93-92 win over the Los Angeles Clippers.

Anthony Edwards connected on just seven of 21 shots from the field but led the Timberwolves with 21 points.

“I had a terrible game tonight,” he said, adding that Minnesota’s defence carried the day.

“Defensively I think we dominated the game.” AFP