CLEVELAND — For the first 12 minutes Thursday night, the Cleveland Cavaliers looked like a team that had figured out how to slow down the Atlanta Hawks. By the end of the night, that defensive effort was a distant memory.
Cleveland held Atlanta to just 16 points in the opening quarter, but the Hawks scored 98 over the final three periods to hand the Cavaliers a 114-111 loss. The defeat ended Cleveland's three-game winning streak and exposed defensive problems that continue to be a problem.
The Cavaliers held Atlanta to 23.8% shooting in the first quarter and built a lead that reached 15 points early in the second. Cleveland was contesting shots, protecting the basket, and forcing the Hawks to work for their offense.
But that effort disappeared as the second quarter progressed.
Atlanta went on a 19-2 run that turned a 35-24 deficit into a 43-37 lead. The Hawks began finding easier scoring opportunities, while Cleveland's struggling offense allowed Atlanta to push the pace and seize momentum.
The problems continued after halftime. Atlanta scored 43 points in the third quarter, including 11 in the opening two minutes, as Cleveland struggled to contain Onyeka Okongwu and Nickeil Alexander-Walker.
Okongwu finished with 29 points and 12 rebounds, shooting 11-of-17 from the field and making four three-pointers. Alexander-Walker added 25 points, also connecting on four shots from beyond the arc.
Those performances highlighted several problems for Cleveland. The Cavaliers struggled to defend the perimeter, allowing Atlanta to make 17 three-pointers, while the Hawks also scored 15 fast-break points and repeatedly created second-chance opportunities.
Atlanta collected 15 offensive rebounds and finished with a 61-54 advantage on the boards, including team rebounds. The most damaging came with 30.5 seconds remaining, when Alexander-Walker missed a three-pointer and Okongwu grabbed the offensive rebound. He scored two seconds later, extending Atlanta's lead to 112-109.
Cleveland had done enough offensively to give itself a chance with James Harden scoring 24 points and Donovan Mitchell adding 22, though they probably could have used MeleekThomas who was out with a foot injury. The Cavaliers also fought back from a double-digit deficit in the fourth quarter, twice cutting Atlanta's lead to one.
But relying on late rallies is not a substitute for playing solid defense.
With the season still young, there's time to address these defensive problems. But Cleveland's first five games have already provided a reminder that scoring enough points to compete and defending well enough to win are two different things.
