The Atlanta Hawks defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 124-102 on Friday to secure a top-6 seed in the Eastern Conference and punch their ticket to the playoffs for the first time since 2022. Jonathan Kuminga led the way with a dominant performance, while Kyrie Irving and Jalen Hurts were sidelined as Cleveland fell to fourth in the East.
Atlanta’s offense exploded in the third quarter with a 35-17 run that broke the game open. CJ McCollum poured in 29 points, including six three-pointers in the first half, while Dyson Daniels tallied his second career triple-double with 13 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists. Cleveland, missing Donovan Mitchell, got 20 points from James Harden, but it wasn’t enough to stop the Hawks’ playoff-clinching win.
In a high-scoring duel in San Antonio, Victor Wembanyama dropped 40 points, 13 rebounds, and five assists to lead the Spurs to a 139-120 win over the Mavericks. Cooper Flagg answered with 33 points, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Wemby’s historic night. The Spurs forward joined David Robinson as the only players in franchise history with multiple 40-point, 10-rebound games.
Meanwhile in Houston, Anthony Edwards and Kevin Durant traded blows in a thrilling fourth quarter as the Minnesota Timberwolves edged the Rockets 136-132. Edwards finished with 22 points, while Durant reached 2,000 points for the eighth time in his career, a milestone never before achieved by a player age 37 or older. Amen Thompson led the Rockets with a career-high 41 points, becoming the first player in franchise history to reach 40+ points on 75% shooting.
The East’s top four is now set with the Boston Celtics (2-seed), New York Knicks (3-seed), and Cavaliers (4-seed) locked in. The Hawks are currently fifth, with the Raptors, Magic, and Sixers still battling for the final playoff spot. A win by the Raptors on Sunday would seal the 5th seed for Atlanta, while a loss could drop them to sixth.
With 15 games set for Sunday, the race for the final playoff and play-in spots continues. The Warriors, Clippers, and Blazers will also be in action as the West’s playoff picture solidifies. The NBA Play-In Tournament begins next week, with the regular season concluding on Monday.
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