Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley delivered a dominant performance for the Cleveland Cavaliers, combining for 53 points and 26 rebounds as Cleveland defeated the Atlanta Hawks 122-116 on Wednesday in the first game of their home-and-home set.

Now the series shifts to Atlanta, where far greater pressure awaits both teams as the Eastern Conference playoff race tightens heading into Friday’s matchup in Georgia.

Cleveland (51-29) sits in fourth place in the East, just one game behind the New York Knicks (52-28). With two games remaining, the Cavaliers can finish no lower than fourth but are still pushing for a higher playoff seed.

Meanwhile, Atlanta (45-35) is tied for fifth and must win at least one of its final two games to secure a guaranteed playoff spot. Falling into the play-in tournament remains a real threat, especially with the Toronto Raptors (45-35) level in record and the Orlando Magic (44-36) just one game behind.

“If we can get in the playoffs, I don’t think we care who we play,” said Atlanta head coach Quin Snyder. “We just want to get in there. We’ve got a new group since midseason. Let’s see what we can do.”

Resting key players such as Jalen Johnson, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, or Dyson Daniels is not under consideration unless the Hawks secure a win in the rematch. Atlanta remains focused on securing its postseason position with full effort in the final stretch.

Cleveland, on the other hand, is expected to manage minutes and prioritize health, potentially resting key players over the final two games of the regular season to avoid injury risk ahead of the playoffs.

Mitchell, who is managing an ankle issue, emphasized the intensity of the previous meeting.

“I think both teams were trying to send a message in this first one,” said Donovan Mitchell. “It’s not the playoffs yet, but that felt like playoff intensity. You could feel it in the arena.”

Atlanta guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 10 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter of the first meeting, but foul trouble hampered the Hawks late as Johnson and Daniels both fouled out. Cleveland capitalized by attacking the rim through Mitchell and James Harden.

Mitchell finished with 31 points, including four free throws in the final 92 seconds after Atlanta cut the deficit to 118-116. Defensive standout Evan Mobley added 22 points, a career-high-tying 19 rebounds, and three blocked shots.

Both Mitchell and Mobley finished a plus-20, playing a major role in Cleveland holding off Atlanta after nearly losing a 105-87 lead in the final minutes.

“Evan played with such great force tonight,” said Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson. “It’s not perfect, but his rebounding and ability to get into the paint were outstanding.”

Cleveland has now won both home matchups in the season series, while Atlanta claimed a 130-123 victory on Nov. 28. The roster landscape has also changed since earlier meetings, with CJ McCollum and Jonathan Kuminga now part of Atlanta’s rotation, adding depth and scoring punch.

Harden has also strengthened Cleveland’s lineup since joining the team, which has gone 19-6 with him in the rotation following his departure from the Los Angeles Clippers. He contributed 21 points in Wednesday’s win.

“James makes them really tough because he can play multiple roles,” Snyder said. “He can push in transition, create 15 or 16 assists, and still score when needed. That combination with Donovan has made Cleveland even harder to guard.”

Atlanta’s only notable injury concern is backup center Jock Landale, who is out with a right high ankle sprain suffered on April 1 after a flagrant foul from Goga Bitadze of the Magic. Landale is currently in a walking boot and is expected to miss three to six weeks, with his postseason availability in doubt.

“Part of him probably wants to play in the boot he’s in,” Snyder said with a slight smile. “But with that injury, you just don’t know the timeline. He’ll do everything he can to get back as soon as possible.” -Field Level Media/Reuters