Donovan Mitchell scored a season-high 37 points and made eight 3-pointers, and Jaylon Tyson added 18 points and a career-best five 3-pointers as the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the visiting Atlanta Hawks 117-109 on Sunday.
Mitchell, an All-NBA guard and six-time All-Star, poured in 24 points in the second half, nine in the fourth quarter, in his return from a one-game absence with left hamstring tightness. His 15 shot attempts beyond the arc were one shy of the league high this season by Golden State’s Stephen Curry.
Tyson also scored nine in the fourth in helping Cleveland snap a two-game losing streak. De’Andre Hunter had 18 points and Evan Mobley had eight of his 14 points in the final period, when the Cavaliers outscored the Hawks 39-33.
Jalen Johnson collected 23 points, 13 rebounds and five assists for Atlanta, which went 2-2 on a four-game trip. Dyson Daniels added 18 points and four steals, and Kristaps Porzingis had 15 points, 12 rebounds and five assists.
Johnson sank a 3-pointer with 4 seconds left in the third, capping an 11-2 run that put the Hawks to within 78-76. Mitchell opened the fourth with a triple of his own to give the Cavaliers an 81-76 lead and they did not trail the rest of the way.
Atlanta, which trailed by 14 in the first, went ahead for the initial time at 49-48 on a Luke Kennard four-point play with 2:22 left in the second quarter. The Hawks carried a 52-50 lead into halftime with Johnson powering the squad with 11 points, 10 rebounds and four assists.
Hawks coach Quin Snyder called his first timeout just 80 seconds into the game after buckets in the paint by Hunter and Mobley, followed by a Mitchell 3-pointer. Mitchell finished the quarter with 11 as Cleveland built a 31-22 advantage.
There were 49 fouls called by the crew headed by veteran official Scott Foster, leading to 53 free-throw attempts.
The Cavaliers remain without center Jarrett Allen (finger fracture), point guard Darius Garland (left big toe surgery), small forward Sam Merrill (right hip bruise) and swingman Max Strus (left foot surgery).
Standout point guard Trae Young was inactive for Atlanta. Young sprained his right knee on Wednesday at the Brooklyn Nets and will be sidelined for at least one month.
–Field Level Media
