ATLANTA — The Cleveland Cavaliers got off to a strong start Thursday night against the Atlanta Hawks, but a rough second quarter left them trailing 46-44 at halftime. Cleveland led by as many as 15 points before Atlanta rallied to take the lead late in the opening half.
The Cavaliers jumped out to a 28-16 lead after the first quarter, with James Harden and Sam Merrill helping Cleveland establish an early advantage. Donovan Mitchell also contributed a three-pointer as the Cavaliers held Atlanta to just 16 points in the opening period.
Cleveland extended its lead to 31-16 early in the second quarter, but the Hawks began chipping away. Atlanta tied the score at 37-37 with 4:33 remaining before taking its first lead on a CJ McCollum floater with 3:12 left.
The Hawks outscored Cleveland 30-16 in the second quarter, with Onyeka Okongwu, Aaron Wiggins, and Jalen Johnson helping fuel the comeback. Atlanta led by seven late in the period before Merrill connected on a three-pointer and Harden made two free throws to cut the deficit to two.
Cleveland will need to rediscover the defensive effort it showed in the first quarter while finding more consistent offense. The Cavaliers are looking for their fourth consecutive victory after Wednesday's comeback win over Washington.
