Okongwu scores 29 as Hawks beat Cavaliers 114-111

In a thrilling matchup, the Atlanta Hawks defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 114-111 on Thursday, Oct. 29, ending the Cavaliers' three-game winning streak. Onyeka Okongwu led the scoring for the Hawks with a season-high 29 points, including four crucial three-pointers and 12 rebounds. Nickeil Alexander-Walker contributed 29 points and two clutch free throws with 15.3 seconds left to secure the victory.

The Hawks also snapped Cleveland's three-game winning streak, extending their own home winning streak against the Cavaliers to five games. The game saw a back-and-forth battle, with the Cavaliers leading by 10 points with 4:34 remaining in the fourth quarter. However, the Hawks' defense held strong, withstanding two last-second shots from Donovan Mitchell that could have tied the game.

Aaron Wiggins led the bench scorers for the Cavaliers with 20 points and seven rebounds, while Jalen Johnson added 17 points. James Harden and Donovan Mitchell each scored 24 and 22 points for the Cavaliers, respectively. Cleveland started the game strong, limiting Atlanta to 23.8% shooting in the first quarter and taking a 28-16 lead.

However, Atlanta's resurgence led to a 13-2 run, tying the score at 4:33 in the first half. The Hawks went on to dominate the second half, taking a 46-44 halftime lead and pushing their lead to 89-82 by the end of the fourth quarter.