The Cleveland Cavaliers are set to open a home-and-home series against the visiting Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday, aiming to extend their perfect start in Ohio.
After their only loss of the season last week, the Cavaliers bounced back with decisive victories over the New Orleans Pelicans and Toronto Raptors. Cleveland’s record now stands at an impressive 17-1 overall and 10-0 at home following their 122-108 win over the Raptors on Sunday.
Ty Jerome followed his 29-point performance in Cleveland’s 128-100 victory over the Pelicans with 26 points off the bench against Toronto. Over the last two games, he has made 19 of 33 shots from the field and 11 of 20 from 3-point range.
Donovan Mitchell, who averages a team-high 24.4 points per game, scored 26 points against the Raptors. Last season, he averaged 26.7 points, 8.7 assists, and 7.3 rebounds in three games against Atlanta. Jarrett Allen contributed 23 points and 13 rebounds, marking his sixth consecutive double-double.
While the Cavaliers have surged to the top of the standings, the Hawks have struggled, losing their third straight game on Monday. Jalen Johnson recorded 28 points and 11 rebounds, and Trae Young added 18 points and 16 assists in a 129-119 loss to the Dallas Mavericks.
Young has achieved double-digit assists in four straight games and seven of his last nine.
Bogdan Bogdanovic scored a season-high 18 points against the Mavericks, following his 16-point performance in a 136-122 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Friday. He made 14 of 26 shots over the two games, improving from 4 of 21 in his previous two contests