CJ McCollum scored 29 points and Dyson Daniels recorded a triple-double as the Atlanta Hawks clinched a playoff berth with a 124-102 win over the Cavaliers.
CJ McCollum set the tone with 29 points on 11-of-16 shooting, Dyson Daniels recorded a triple-double, and the Atlanta Hawks clinched a top-six seed in the Eastern Conference with a 124-102 blowout of the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night at State Farm Arena.
Atlanta (46-35) locked up a playoff spot despite missing several key Cavaliers — including Donovan Mitchell, Jarrett Allen, and Sam Merrill due to various injuries — and used a dominant third quarter to put the game out of reach. The Hawks outscored Cleveland 35-17 in the third period to build a lead that swelled to as many as 36 points.
McCollum connected on 6 of 8 attempts from 3-point range and had 25 of his 29 points in the first half alone, setting the tone early for Atlanta's efficient offensive night.
"That was the goal," McCollum said. "The goal is to get into the playoffs. And now for us, it's about getting healthy, making sure everybody is ready to go so we can ramp up. We did a great job of rallying together and executing the game plan."
Daniels went for 13 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists, finding open teammates all night as Atlanta's pick-and-roll game left Cleveland with no good answers.
"Feels good, obviously. But the win is better, for sure," Daniels said. "Just the way we played tonight, me being the connector — shout out CJ and Keil for hitting shots that way I get my assists up."
Alexander-Walker finished with 18 points on 7-of-13 shooting and knocked down 3 triples. Johnson had 18 points and 9 rebounds despite picking up three first-half fouls that kept him on the bench. Snyder pointed to Johnson's ability to stay locked in after being pulled early.
"As much as anything, it was his ability not to lose concentration," Snyder said. "His focus in the second half, after limited first-half minutes, was really important. That mental toughness is critical."
Atlanta shot 48.4% from the field and 36.4% from 3, turning 19 Cleveland turnovers into 22 points. The Hawks also hauled in 14 offensive rebounds and scored 23 second-chance points.
James Harden led Cleveland (51-30) with 20 points and 5 assists but finished a minus-34 in 25 minutes. Evan Mobley chipped in 10 points and 6 rebounds. Mitchell and Allen sat out under injury management protocols, with Cleveland already locked into its playoff positioning.
Snyder praised his team for navigating a season of change by embracing a collective focus for the team's betterment.
"That's where you go to those guys and what they sacrificed for one another," he said. "They believed that we could do this. They gave what they needed to collectively for us to have this opportunity."
Atlanta closes the regular season Sunday at Miami. The Hawks enter the playoffs as either the fifth or sixth seed, depending on Sunday's results, with a potential first-round matchup against Cleveland or New York.