The Atlanta Hawks delivered a statement win and a dose of déjà vu on Friday night, eliminating the Cleveland Cavaliers from NBA Cup contention for the second consecutive year with a 130-123 victory at State Farm Arena. The game, a high-stakes in-season tournament matchup, was a microcosm of the Hawks’ emerging identity and the Cavaliers’ persistent struggles, with Atlanta’s young stars seizing the moment. The win improved Atlanta’s record to 13-8, solidifying their position in the Eastern Conference playoff picture, while Cleveland fell to 12-8, their championship aspirations tempered by another perplexing performance.
The night belonged to Hawks forward Jalen Johnson, who notched his second triple-double of the season with a stat line of 21 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists. Johnson’s playmaking has become a revelation; this marked his 10th consecutive game with at least seven assists, showcasing his evolution into the team’s primary facilitator. His connection with the backcourt was pivotal, especially with Trae Young sidelined by a knee injury. Stepping into that void has been veteran guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker, whose offseason signing is looking like a masterstroke. Alexander-Walker poured in 28 points, continuing a career-best scoring surge that has seen him average 19.3 points per game. His ability to space the floor and attack closeouts created crucial lanes for Johnson and kept the Cavaliers’ defense honest all night.
For the Cavaliers, the loss was a frustrating cocktail of missed opportunities and recurring flaws. Despite having their projected starting lineup—Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen, and De’Andre Hunter—together for only the third time this season, the team looked sluggish and uninspired coming off a three-day Thanksgiving break. A second-quarter scuffle, ignited when Hunter dunked on former teammate Mouhamed Gueye and was subsequently shoved, provided a temporary spark. It fueled a 16-point quarter from Donovan Mitchell and helped Cleveland take a narrow halftime lead. However, that fire quickly died out. The Cavaliers’ transition defense was a glaring weakness, repeatedly exploited by the Hawks’ pace. Long rebounds off Cleveland misses became instant fast-break opportunities for Atlanta, a fundamental breakdown that players and coach Kenny Atkinson lamented post-game as a simple failure of effort and hustle.
The Hawks’ closing sequence encapsulated their resilience and the Cavaliers’ fragility. With under 90 seconds left and the game tied, Atlanta executed a quick 8-0 run to seal the victory, a decisive response that left Cleveland searching for answers. The podcast analysis from the ‘Wine and Gold Talk’ highlighted deeper concerns beyond the scoreboard, pointing to a potential personality disconnect on the Cavaliers. The assertive, chippy attitude displayed by De’Andre Hunter in his return to Atlanta was contrasted with the more reserved natures of Mobley and Allen, raising questions about the team’s consistent ability to generate its own intensity in physical matchups.
As the Hawks move forward, the continued excellence of Jalen Johnson and the unexpected offensive explosion from Nickeil Alexander-Walker have transformed the team’s outlook. Alexander-Walker has not just held the fort in Young’s absence; he has thrived, setting himself up as a perfect long-term complement. His performance, combined with Johnson’s ascendance, gives Atlanta a dangerous and versatile core. For the Cavaliers, the elimination from the NBA Cup is a tangible setback, but the more alarming issue is the pattern of uninspired play against weaker opponents and a crumbling foundation in effort-based areas like transition defense. As the season approaches the quarter mark, Atlanta is building with clear momentum, while Cleveland is left to solve a puzzle that seems to get more complex with each passing game.