The Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Atlanta Hawks in a game that featured 10 lead changes, six ties, and double-digit leads and deficits on Wednesday night. It was a competitive meeting that mirrored what scenarios could be ahead in the 2026 NBA playoffs.  

With a record of 51-29, the Cavs only have two games left on the regular-season schedule. A road rematch with the Hawks on Friday and a home finale against the Washington Wizards await. It'll be an opportunity to tie up some loose ends and get as healthy as possible before next weekend.

Topics of the latest show include the following:

- On the previous episode of Courtside with Cavs, Spencer German and Spencer Davies agreed that there wasn't much left to learn about Cleveland at this point. However, there were some wrinkles in the rotation against Atlanta that felt like a test run for the postseason.

- With Dean Wade back in the fold, and hopefully Jaylon Tyson to follow, it is helpful for the Wine and Gold's defense to have wing-sized guys available. Picking who starts the game isn't the primary focus for Kenny Atkinson and his coaching staff; determining who finishes the game will be the hard part.

- Evan Mobley played with force from the opening tip and finished the night with 22 points and 19 rebounds to go with three rejections. He was punishing Atlanta on the interior all evening, and the Hawks had no answers for Cleveland's big forward. Mobley has been on a tear since the All-Star break and is in a zone at the right time.

- Cavs All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell has been turning up the paint pressure in his last couple of games, getting to his spots, creating advantages, and finishing near the rim. He's found himself on the free-throw line quite a bit, settling less from deep and picking his moments to drive by defenders. That's a testament to his mentality, but also the attention that James Harden is drawing on the outside.

- Although the Hawks are slated to face Cleveland in the playoffs as of now, there are plenty of teams on their heels. The Toronto Raptors, Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers, and Charlotte Hornets are all fighting to determine who finishes fifth in the Eastern Conference, but any of them could slide as far as ninth into the Play-In Tournament.

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