The Cleveland Cavaliers host the Atlanta Hawks at the Rocket Arena on Wednesday, April 8, at 7:00 p.m. ET.
The Cavaliers are 50-29 and fourth in the East with a 25-14 home record, while the Hawks are 45-34 and sixth in the East with a 22-17 road record.
The Cavaliers are coming off a 142-126 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday, while the Hawks fell to a close 108-105 loss to the New York Knicks on Monday as well. This will be the third matchup between the teams, with the Hawks leveling the season series to 1-1 with a 130-123 win on November 28, 2025. This game will be the third contest between the teams this season, with their fourth and final matchup coming on Friday.
The Cavaliers are led by Donovan Mitchell, who’s making a push for All-NBA First Team with 27.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.7 assists on the season. Evan Mobley is a former Defensive Player of the Year and is proving to be ever-reliable, averaging 18.2 points, 8.9 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.7 blocks.
The Hawks are led by breakout forward Jalen Johnson, who’s averaging 22.7 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 8.0 assists this season. Despite some blips in consistency, Johnson is leading the team admirably in their late-season Playoff push. Nickeil Alexander-Walker has been the most reliable second-option behind Johnson, averaging 20.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.3 steals per game this season.
This will be a fascinating clash between two teams with a lot of incentive to win games right now. The Hawks are looking to secure a top-six seed in the East, while the Cavaliers are still in pursuit of the No. 3-seeded Knicks, who have a one-game lead over them in the final week of the regular season.
Injury Report
Cavaliers
Jaylon Tyson: Out (toe)
Dean Wade: Out (ankle)
Donovan Mitchell: Questionable (ankle)
Thomas Bryant: Out (calf)
Hawks
Jock Landale: Out (ankle)
Why The Cavaliers Have The Advantage
Even with the Hawks’ late-push up the standings, the Cavaliers have the edge over them across many categories this season. They have the seventh-best offensive rating this season (118.4) and a commendable 114.1 defensive rating on the season. They’re the fourth-highest scoring team in the NBA with 119.6 points per game.
Both teams are closely matched offensively, with the Cavaliers shooting 40.0 threes per game and making 36.0% of them. They could rely on hot scoring from outside, but their best form of attack this season has been drives to the rim. Drives lead to a 52.7 FG% for the franchise, although they attempt just 46.3 per game. The addition of James Harden also means many of their drives now lead to more assists than they did in the same situation earlier this season.
The Cavaliers are a slightly better rebounding unit than the Hawks, with 44.3 rebounds per game compared to Atlanta’s 43.5 rebounds per game. Their difference comes entirely in offensive rebounds, as the Cavaliers pull down 11.7 per game compared to the Hawks’ 10.9. This is a very minor edge for the Cavaliers, which is created by their powerful frontcourt.
Harden has made the offense harder to predict, which will be a challenge for the Hawks’ perimeter unit to figure out. It’s been a down year for the overall team defense in Cleveland, but everyone knows the Cavaliers can lock opponents up when required. They are averaging 8.5 steals and 5.0 blocks per game this season.
Why The Hawks Have The Advantage
The Hawks are one of the best passing units in the NBA, leading the league in assists with 30.3 per game while making 195.1 passes per game. They create 79.0 points off assists every game, so they have a reliable offense that rarely finds itself stagnating. If defense will be the differentiator in this clash, Atlanta can rest easy about their offense creating opportunities because they’ve rarely struggled with that this season.
The Hawks are a marginally better defensive team as well, with a 112.7 defensive rating compared to Cleveland’s 114.1. They’re fifth in the NBA when it comes to steals with 9.4 per game. Even if the Cavaliers have a numbers edge on rebounding this season, the Hawks have a superior defensive rebound percentage with 70.1%, meaning they can shut down any advantages Cleveland feels they have on the offensive glass.
Even if the Cavaliers have the better offense on the season, the Hawks’ strong form recently will make them fancy their chances. They have a 107.4 defensive and 121.9 offensive rating since February 23, 2026. This would give them a +14.5 net rating over this span, which would be the best in the NBA. They’re averaging 123.0 points, 46.1 rebounds, 30.1 assists, 10.0 steals, and 4.9 blocks per game in this stretch with a 17-3 record.
Even though the Cavaliers are still fighting for seeding, the Hawks have a lot more incentive to win. They’d secure a spot in the top-six of the East with a win. With them having another game against the Cavaliers as well, the franchise must secure its fate with a win here rather than leave it up to their next clash on Friday.
X-Factors
James Harden has been a fantastic midseason addition for the Cavaliers, with the 35-year-old averaging 20.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 7.9 assists in 24 games since joining the franchise in February 2026. He has greatly reduced the on-ball load on Donovan Mitchell while helping Evan Mobley also improve his offensive numbers. Harden has plugged some of the biggest holes in Cleveland’s offense, with the franchise needing him to be on the top of his game to pick up a win against the team that could be their first-round opponents.
Jarrett Allen is one of the best options any playoff team can hope to have at center, with Allen averaging 15.3 points and 8.5 rebounds this season. His performance will be crucial in helping the Cavaliers win marginal battles on the glass while also being a dangerous pick-and-roll partner for Harden.
Onyeka Okongwu has made the starting center role in Atlanta his own, averaging 15.3 points and 7.7 rebounds this season. He will match up directly with Allen as both centers will have a rough battle on the boards. Okongwu adds another dimension into the mix with his gradually improving outside shooting, with the 25-year-old center taking 5.3 threes per game and converting at a 37.7 3P%.
CJ McCollum was supposed to be the guard who replaces Trae Young as a small but dynamic scorer who can also create for others. Unfortunately, McCollum hasn’t been able to replicate Trae but has played a part in the Hawks’ overall guard core thriving. He’s a dangerous sixth man, averaging 18.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 4.1 assists in 39 games since joining the squad in December. While he’ll have the likes of Alexander-Walker and defensive menace Dyson Daniels to cover him on one end, he needs to play his part and have a strong offensive night.
Prediction
The Hawks have measurably been the better team over the back half of the season, but the Cavaliers might have the pieces required to stop the Hawks. Given Atlanta’s recent loss to the Knicks and the Cavaliers’ three-game win streak, it looks like Cleveland enters this game with superior momentum. Nonetheless, we will pick the Hawks to secure this win. The worst outcome for the Cavaliers here is to be locked into the No. 4 seed, while the Hawks could lose control of a top-six berth with a loss. In addition, Mitchell might miss the game and is coming off an injury, so it feels like Atlanta would make the more stable pick here.
Prediction: Cavaliers 111, Hawks 113
