The Cavaliers had this one in hand early, then let it slip away in familiar fashion.
Cleveland built a 15-point lead by the end of the first quarter while holding Atlanta to 16 points, the lowest total the Hawks have been held to in a quarter this season. From there, though, the game turned fast. Atlanta answered with a 30-16 second quarter and kept climbing until the Cavs were left trying to dig out of a hole that never should have gotten that deep.
James Harden led Cleveland with 24 points, while Donovan Mitchell finished with 22 after drawing multiple fouls late to keep the game within reach. Mitchell also had two chances to tie the game down three in the final 15 seconds, but Cleveland never called timeout to draw something up. Instead, the Cavs simply put the ball in Mitchell’s hands and asked him to create, and it didn’t work.
That late-game sequence fit a bigger pattern the Cavs have battled all season. Atkinson had already used four timeouts in the first half while Cleveland was still ahead, then only used one in the second half as Atlanta surged back. There were stretches where the Hawks were pushing the pace so hard that a timeout felt necessary, but it never came.
The finish was there for Cleveland if it could have made one clean play down the stretch. Down 10 with two minutes left, the Cavs clawed back to within four with 40 seconds remaining. Even then, they couldn’t quite land the final punch.
Atlanta’s win also kept a strong run going at State Farm Arena. It was the Hawks’ fifth straight home win over the Cavaliers, and they’ve taken 11 of the last 13 meetings when Cleveland has been on the road.
The second half turned physical and chaotic in ways that favored Atlanta. The Hawks worked Cleveland into foul trouble and kept the game moving at a pace that clearly bothered the Cavs, much like the last time they ran into Philadelphia. That night, the faster style blew up Cleveland’s defense and led to a rough night on the glass.
Rookie Meleek Thomas was missed as well. His speed and ability to help fuel that quick-strike style were absent, and the Cavs didn’t have the same answer without him.
Cleveland now moves on to Halloween, when it faces the Milwaukee Bucks.
In Other News...
Ty Jerome Just Gave Cavaliers Fans A Needed Breather
Ty Jeromes first rough night in Memphis offered Cavaliers fans a small dose of comfort after months of wondering what Cleveland gave up when he walked. Since leaving for the Grizzlies, Jerome has been one of the names fans have circled whenever his new team looks like it may have gotten the better end of the deal, so a quieter performance against Portland was bound to draw some attention back in Northeast Ohio.
He still helped Memphis come away with a win, which keeps the larger conversation from going away entirely, but the game did interrupt the easy momentum around his start with the Grizzlies. For Cavaliers fans, it was at least a reminder that the regret over letting Jerome leave does not have to grow every time he takes the floor. [Read more 🡒]
Cavaliers Keep Collapsing And Kenny Atkinson Has A Growing Problem
The Cavaliers uneven start has already given Kenny Atkinson plenty to sort through, and the latest setback only sharpened the concern. After the loss to Atlanta, Atkinson acknowledged that Cleveland has not been able to put together consistent stretches on either end, with the team repeatedly letting leads slip away early in the season.
What stands out most is how familiar the issues have become. Atkinson pointed to the same basic breakdowns that have haunted the Cavaliers in multiple games, especially around the defensive glass and the kind of lapses that turn a comfortable position into a scramble. With tougher matchups ahead, Cleveland is running out of time to turn those warning signs into clean, complete wins. [Read more 🡒]
Kenny Atkinson Already Faces A Jaylon Tyson Decision Cleveland Fans Feel
Jaylon Tysons early-season role has already become one of the more interesting lineup questions hanging over the Cavaliers. Through the first five games, the rookie has settled into a modest workload and has yet to lock down a starting spot, even as Cleveland has managed to keep winning with its current group. The broader issue is less about one players raw talent than how Kenny Atkinson wants to balance development, spacing and stability in a rotation that has mostly worked.
The conversation gets sharper because the second unit has had trouble protecting leads, which naturally raises the question of whether Tyson should be given a larger runway or a more prominent role. Cleveland has options, and the current setup is not broken, but Tysons minutes and usage are already drawing attention because the Cavaliers may eventually need more from him than they are getting now. [Read more 🡒]