Trailing by double-digits in the second half, the Atlanta Hawks came from behind to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers, 107-101, securing the No. 8 playoff seed in the Eastern Conference.
Atlanta point guard Trae Young led the comeback, finishing with a game-high 38 points.
Young struggled in the opening half Friday night, tallying just six points at halftime. He would rebound in the second, scoring 32 points on 10-of-14 shooting and 4-of-7 from three-point range.
Five Hawks finished in double figures, including Young (38), Bogdan Bogdanovic (19), Danilo Gallinari (14), Kevin Huerter (13) and De’Andre Hunger (10).
Starting center Clint Capela had seven points and eight rebounds but left the game before the second half after hyperextending his knee in a collision with Cleveland forward Evan Mobley.
Cleveland built an 11-point advantage in the opening quarter, eventually taking a 61-51 lead into the halftime break.
Atlanta began to cut into the Cavaliers’ lead in the second half, led mainly by Young. A deep three-pointer from Young with 1:42 left in the third quarter gave the Hawks their first lead at 77-76, capping off a 33-point quarter for Atlanta.
Young continued his dominance, scoring 18 of Atlanta’s 23 points in the fourth quarter. With the Hawks leading 100-99, a Young floater helped seal the victory with just over a minute to go in the game.
The Hawks, having clinched the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference, now draw the No. 1-seeded Miami Heat. The first-round series begins in Miami on Sunday at 1 p.m.
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