Hawks Hold Off Cavaliers 114-111 Behind Okongwu’s 29 Points

The Atlanta Hawks defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 114-111 on Thursday, October 29, 2026, at State Farm Arena, led by Onyeka Okongwu’s 29 points and 12 rebounds. Atlanta overcame a 12-point first-quarter deficit, took control across the middle two periods and held off Cleveland’s fourth-quarter push to improve to 3-3.

Quarter-by-Quarter Breakdown

First Quarter: Cavaliers Open With a 12-Point Advantage

Cleveland outscored Atlanta 28-16 in the opening period, establishing an early cushion while the Hawks struggled to generate points. That advantage gave the Cavaliers their strongest quarter in terms of scoring margin.

Second Quarter: Hawks Move Ahead Before Halftime

Atlanta reversed the scoring pattern in the second, outscoring Cleveland 30-16. The 14-point advantage erased the opening deficit and sent the Hawks into halftime ahead 46-44. Holding the Cavaliers to 16 points proved particularly important in a game ultimately decided by three.

Third Quarter: Atlanta Scores 43 to Extend Its Lead

Both offenses increased their production after halftime, combining for 81 third-quarter points. Atlanta outpaced Cleveland 43-38, extending its lead to 89-82 entering the fourth. The Hawks scored 73 points across the second and third quarters, compared with 54 for the Cavaliers.

Fourth Quarter: Cleveland Closes the Gap

The Cavaliers outscored the Hawks 29-25 in the final period, reducing the seven-point deficit but falling short of completing the comeback. Atlanta finished with a 114-111 regulation victory in front of 15,025 fans.

Key Performers

• Onyeka Okongwu, Atlanta: Led all scorers with 29 points and collected a game-high 12 rebounds, delivering the night’s standout double-double.
• CJ McCollum, Atlanta: Led the Hawks with eight assists as Atlanta finished with 34 assists on 42 made field goals.
• James Harden, Cleveland: Paced the Cavaliers with 24 points.
• Jarrett Allen, Cleveland: Led Cleveland with eight rebounds.
• Evan Mobley, Cleveland: Recorded a team-high seven assists.

NerdSports Stat: Atlanta recorded an assist on 34 of its 42 made field goals—81.0% of its baskets—in a game it won by just three points.

Game Analysis: Three-Pointers and Rebounding Make the Difference

The Hawks and Cavaliers finished close in overall shooting accuracy: Atlanta shot 44.2% from the field, while Cleveland finished at 43.7%. The separation was more noticeable beyond the arc, where the Hawks made 17 of 43 attempts for 39.5%, compared with the Cavaliers’ 13 of 42 for 31.0%.

Those four additional three-pointers gave Atlanta a 12-point scoring advantage from long range. Cleveland countered at the free-throw line, making 22 of 29 attempts against Atlanta’s 13 of 18—a nine-point advantage that helped keep the final margin narrow.

Atlanta also finished ahead 53-45 in rebounds and 34-26 in assists. The Hawks attempted eight more field goals and made four more baskets, offsetting Cleveland’s greater production at the line. Okongwu’s scoring and rebounding led the way, while Atlanta’s passing supported an offense that recovered decisively from its 16-point opening quarter.

Closing Context: Atlanta Returns to .500

The Hawks improved to 3-3 overall and 1-2 at home, while the Cavaliers fell to 3-2 and remained winless on the road at 0-2. Both Eastern Conference teams return to action Monday, November 2: Atlanta hosts the Indiana Pacers at 4:30 p.m. PST, and Cleveland hosts the Oklahoma City Thunder at 4 p.m. PST.

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