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Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley help Cavaliers hold off Hawks 122-116

Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley help Cavaliers hold off Hawks 122-116 | iNFOnews.ca
Cleveland Cavaliers center Evan Mobley (4) dunks between Atlanta Hawks forward Onyeka Okongwu, left, and guard Dyson Daniels (5) in the first half of an NBA basketball game in Cleveland, Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

CLEVELAND (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored 31 points, Evan Mobley had 22 points and tied a career high with 19 rebounds, and the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Atlanta Hawks 122-116 on Wednesday night.

James Harden added 21 points for the Cavaliers, who have won four straight and seven of eight. Cleveland (51-29) can finish no lower than fourth place in the Eastern Conference and is 1/2 game behind New York for the third seed.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 25 points and Jonathan Kuminga had 24 off the bench as Atlanta was unable to clinch a playoff berth with the loss. The Hawks (45-35) have dropped their last two after winning four straight. They are one game ahead of Toronto for the fifth seed but only 1 1/2 in front of Orlando to avoid being in the play-in tournament.

It was Mitchell’s 200th regular-season game with at least 20 points in four years with the Cavaliers. He is the fifth player in franchise history to reach that milestone.

Mitchell had his 14th game this season with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds.

Atlanta took a 67-56 lead on a dunk by Dyson Daniels with 57 seconds remaining in the first half before Cleveland went on a 17-3 run over the final minute of the second quarter and first three minutes of the third.

Cleveland outscored Atlanta 44-20 in the third to take a 104-87 advantage into the final 12 minutes. A 3-point play by Dennis Schroder put the Cavaliers up 110-92 before the Hawks answered back with an 18-2 run where Alexander-Walker had seven points.

Kuminga’s dunk got Atlanta within 118-116 and had a chance to tie after Sam Merrill missed a 3-pointer. But Alexander-Walker lost possession of the ball in the paint before Jarrett Allen got the steal. Mitchell then made a pair of free throws to put the Cavaliers up by more than one possession.

Up next

The two teams meet Friday in Atlanta for the fourth and final time in the regular season.

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley help Cavaliers hold off Hawks 122-116 | iNFOnews.ca
Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen, right, reaches for the ball with teammate Dean Wade (32) and Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson, center, in the first half of an NBA basketball game in Cleveland, Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley help Cavaliers hold off Hawks 122-116 | iNFOnews.ca
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) shoots in front of Atlanta Hawks forward Mouhamed Gueye (18) in the first half of an NBA basketball game in Cleveland, Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley help Cavaliers hold off Hawks 122-116 | iNFOnews.ca
Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden, right, shoots as Atlanta Hawks forward Onyeka Okongwu (17) defends in the first half of an NBA basketball game in Cleveland, Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

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The Associated Press

Joe Reedy

The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world’s population sees AP journalism every day.

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