flag
back Zurück
Four Biggest Takeaways From The Atlanta Hawks Thrilling Win Over Cleveland Cavaliers

The Hawks snapped their three-game losing streak tonight and won their fifth straight home game vs the Cavaliers

Oct 29, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Onyeka Okongwu (17) shoots against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Just like that, the losing streak is over.

While there are no must -win games in October for any NBA team, the vibes in Atlanta would have been suboptimal if they had lost another game to start the year 2-4 overall and 0-3 at home. After their worst performance of the year on Wednesday night against Miami, Atlanta bounced back in a big way by beating last season's Eastern Conference Runner-up.

Here are the biggest takeaways from tonight's Hawks victory.

1. Onyeka Okongwu responds

Onyeka Okongwu faced a lot of criticism, including from yours truly, about his performance on Wednesday night against the Miami Heat, but he could not have responded any better than he did tonight against the double-big lineup of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen.

Okongwu finished the night with 29 points and 12 rebounds, finishing as the highest-scorer in the entire game. When the Cavs cut the lead to 110-109 with under a minute to go, it was Okongwu who hit the layup to once again put the Hawks up by three.

When he is scoring like this and shooting 4-for-6 from three, Okongwu can mask some of the size issues that he has and that is the version of the him the Hawks have been waiting on this season and that is the one they got.

2. Aaron Wiggins continues to impress

I am not going to start a campaign for a player to win an award in October, but Aaron Wiggins needs to be mentioned as one of the best bench players in the NBA so far.

After having a subpar performance against the Heat on Wednesday, Wiggins scored 20 points and shot 8-for-14 from the field and 4-for-7 from three, while also pulling in seven rebounds and handing out three assists. I would argue that Wiggins should have closed over CJ McCollum, but that is another discussion.

3. Bounce back from tough start

The game against the Cavaliers started much like how the game against the Heat ended. Cleveland got out to a 31-16 lead in the first quarter and the Hawks were shooting 23% from the field and just 3-for-10 from three. It looked like another frustrating offensive performance was well on the way, but the Hawks battled back and they got out in front of Cleveland in the second quarter.

A 30-8 run for Atlanta gave them a seven point lead and the Hawks never trailed again after their big run in the second quarter. While they did not continue to dominate the rest of the way, they flipped the script in the second quarter and won the game.

4. Nearly gave it away

With around four minutes to go, the Hawks led 106-96 and were in control of the game, but things got messy.

I think that Quin Snyder made the wrong choice in letting CJ McCollum close over Aaron Wiggins, who was far better in the game. The offense, though not all McCollum's fault, stangnated toward the end and Cleveland had a chance to win the game late if they had gotten some stops and Donovan Mitchell hit some open looks. Clutch time situations in the NBA can be tricky, but the Hawks barely navigated this one.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

You may like

Three Major Takeaways from Cavs Loss vs. Hawks

si.com vor 9 Minuten

Sixers star gives respect to VJ Edgecombe after win over Pacers

aol.com vor 5 Stunden

Coaching Changes That Will Impact The 2026-27 Men's College Basketball Season

foxsports.com vor 4 Stunden

"Draymond Was Wrong": Charles Barkley Sides With Eddie Johnson in Heated Feud Over Warriors Rooki...

aol.com vor 1 Stunde

Caleb Wilson reveals four things Chicago Bulls should know about him

aol.com vor 4 Stunden

Why Spurs Believe Luke Kornet's Early-Season Struggles Are 'Not Just a Luke Thing'

si.com vor 6 Stunden

Nebraska's Britt Prince Named to Prestigious Basketball Watch List

si.com vor 3 Stunden

Miami's Eligible Star Named to Prestigious Watchlist Ahead of Season

si.com vor 6 Stunden