Atlanta Hawks (46-35) beat Cleveland Cavaliers (51-30) 124-102 at home on Friday, April 10. The final margin was 22 points.
The game, quarter by quarter
The Hawks had the better start, winning the first 27-22 to lead by 5 after one. The Hawks kept the pressure on with a 34-26 second quarter, carrying a 13-point lead into halftime.
The Hawks won the third 35-17 to create some separation, taking a 31-point lead into the fourth. The Cavaliers took the fourth 37-28; the Hawks held on for a 124-102 regulation win.
Why it was lopsided
The Hawks took better care of the ball, turning it over on 10.9% of possessions compared with 18.3% for the Cavaliers. The Hawks grabbed 31.1% of their own misses, while the Cavaliers recovered 22%. Those extra possessions were crucial.
At roughly 103 possessions per team, the Hawks produced 121 points per 100 possessions to 99.6 for the Cavaliers.
Who stood out
CJ McCollum was the game's biggest individual force for ATL: 29 pts, 4 reb, 4 ast on 11-16 shooting. His Game Score of 25.4 led everyone. His team was +22 with him on the floor.
Jaylon Tyson led the Cavaliers with 15 pts, 4 reb, 3 ast, 3 stl on 7-15 shooting, good for a 13.6 Game Score.
Dyson Daniels (13 pts, 10 reb, 12 ast) recorded a double-double.
What it means
The pre-game Win Meter had it close to a coin flip, at about 60% for the Hawks.
Across the last 6 meetings in our records, the series is even.
The Hawks are now 46-35, and the Cavaliers are 51-30. The Hawks last five before this game: W-W-W-L-L.
Written automatically by Tip Off Live software from box score data. Ratings and probabilities are our own model estimates.