NBA: Dejounte Murray, Hawks end Cavaliers’ winning streak
FILE – Dejounte Murray #5 of the Atlanta Hawks celebrates during the first half of a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at State Farm Arena on February 24, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. Alex Slitz/Getty Images/AFP
Dejounte Murray scored 29 points, five in the final 2:14, to help the host Atlanta Hawks defeat short-handed Cleveland 120-118 on Tuesday and end the Cavaliers’ four-game winning streak.
Murray made three free throws with 2:14 remaining and hit a clutch jumper from the foul line to give Atlanta a four-point lead with 58.1 seconds left.
Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell scored 44 points, including a 3-pointer at 55.1 seconds left to cut the deficit to one. But Mitchell missed a 3-pointer with 12.1 seconds left and hit the back of the rim on a half-court shot at the buzzer.
Dejounte hits the CLUTCH jumper ‼️
Hawks lead by 4 with 0:58 remaining.
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📺: https://t.co/1pomQZMAZK pic.twitter.com/PtMtgerhvi— NBA (@NBA) March 29, 2023
The Cavs (48-29) played with just nine healthy players. Jarrett Allen (right groin strain), Danny Green (health and safety protocol) and Isaac Okoro (left knee soreness) were unavailable.
The Hawks (38-38) remained No. 8 in the Eastern Conference, one game ahead of Toronto, which beat Miami on Tuesday.
It was just the fourth time in 11 games that Murray had scored 20 points, and it was his largest output since putting up 41 against Portland on March 3.
Atlanta also got 21 points and nine rebounds from Onyeka Okongwu and 16 points and 10 assists from Trae Young.
Mitchell had five rebounds and five assists. It was his 28th game with at least 30 points. Darius Garland added 27 points for Cleveland.
Donovan Mitchell showed out tonight 🔥
44 points
5 rebounds
5 assists
5 threesCavs fell to Atlanta in a close one pic.twitter.com/4WgPtwY7xe
— NBA (@NBA) March 29, 2023
Atlanta scored 100 points for the 51st straight game, the second-longest streak in franchise history and the longest current active streak in the NBA.
Cleveland led by 10 points in the first quarter, but the Hawks came back to tie the score 24-24. Atlanta kept the momentum and built a 15-point lead, even though Young didn’t score his first point until 3:37 left in the half and scored just four. The Hawks led 59-51 at halftime.
Cleveland continued to carve away at the lead and went ahead 73-71 on a basket by LeVert with 4:58 left. But the Hawks outscored the Cavs 23-9 and took a 94-84 lead in the final quarter. Cleveland used a 13-0 run and took a 106-105 lead on Mitchell’s 3-pointer with 5:30 remaining.
