With Darius Garland and Evan Mobley still not available for the Cleveland Cavaliers against the Atlanta Hawks, many assumed Donovan Mitchell would carry the load on offense, guiding the undermanned Cavs to victory. Mitchell certainly did that, nearly flirting with a triple-double with 18 points, six rebounds and eight assists in Cleveland's dominant 119-95 win in Atlanta.
While Mitchell's point total isn't the flashiest, it was again a total team effort for the Cavs. Mitchell, Jarrett Allen, Dean Wade, Isaac Okoro, Max Strus, Sam Merril, and Georges Niang all scored in double figures for Cleveland, while Tristan Thompson wasn't too far behind with six points.
Cavs' first-quarter defense sets tone
Strength in numbers and basketball socialism have been common things for the Cavs as of late. But what really stood out in this win over the Hawks in Atlanta is that Cleveland, at times, was smothering the opposition on defense. The Cavs entered the matchup with the Hawks giving up just 5.7 points in the first six minutes of the first quarter over the previous three games. That grind-out approach has helped them build early leads, play from in front, and rarely give the opponent a chance to get back into the game. That trend continued Saturday, limiting Atlanta to four points midway into the first quarter.
“Our defense has been unreal to start games,” said head coach J.B. Bickerstaff. “It’s a mindset for us, no matter who the opponent is. Great mentality from our guys. The grit, the togetherness, the competitiveness. I think that is something the guys have really engaged in. It’s an intent and purpose to start basketball games. A complete buy-in to be elite defensively.”
This tilt with Cleveland was just the second time all season that Atlanta, which has the league’s fifth-ranked scoring offense, averaging 120 points, failed to crack 100 points scored. The Hawks only shot 39.8% from the field and 28.9% from 3-point range against the Cavs, with their 95 points marking a new season low.
One of the best defenses in the NBA
During this seven-game winning streak, the Cavs have boasted an NBA-best 99.6 defensive rating. For reference, the league’s top mark this season is held by the Minnesota Timberwolves, allowing 108.5 points per 100 possessions. Cleveland's suddenly stingy defense has vaulted the Cavs all the way up to third in overall defensive rating, just behind the Timberwolves and Boston Celtics. Mind you, they're doing this without Mobley, a typical frontrunner for Defensive Player of the Year and All-Defensive honors, on the floor.
“It’s been everybody, it's incredible to watch,” said Cleveland forward Dean Wade. “Isaac is the head of the snake. He is out there playing as hard as he can, and you don’t want to let him down so you’re playing as hard as you can. I think it starts with the energy that J.A. and Isaac bring. They have really elevated us. We’re playing together, with each other and playing hard.”
Cleveland has now held three straight opponents below 100 points and none have shot better than 42.3%. It's a working formula of how Bickerstaff wants the team to play on either end of the floor. It has been something the Cavs have been trying to execute all season long, and it seems they've finally found the recipe for success. It took adversity and buy-in to get there, but for now, Cleveland is riding high and is looking to continue the longest active winning streak in the NBA.
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