Cavs stifle Hawks for first win behind Ricky Rubio, Evan Mobley

Cavs win their first game of the season behind Ricky Rubio and Evan Mobley

The third time’s the charm for the Cleveland Cavaliers as they notch their first victory of the young season. After crumbling in the endgame during the first two contests, the Cavs built just enough of a cushion to close out the visiting Atlanta Hawks, 101-95.

Veteran Spanish point guard Ricky Rubio, who started in place of Darius Garland, led Cleveland with 23 points, eight assists, and six rebounds, while rookie Evan Mobley continued to impress with a double-double performance of 17 points and 11 boards that was topped off with four blocked shots in their first official win as Cavaliers.

Meanwhile, Hawks All-Star Trae Young still hit his quotas, scoring 24 points and dishing out seven dimes, while backup wing Cam Reddish added 19 in a losing effort.

Following slow starts from both teams, Atlanta was the first to find their footing, racing ahead to build a double-figure lead by the second quarter. Then came a furious rally by the Cavaliers.

That run extended into the third period, where the Cavs limited the Hawks to just 17 markers. The home team saw their largest lead reach 14 late in the quarter, enough to hold off a Hawks comeback towards the end of the game.

Cavs continue to put on a show offensively

Once again, the nearly-filled Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse was rocking as the fans were treated to another entertaining offensive display that saw six Cavaliers players score in double figures.

One of them was a surprisingly engaged Kevin Love. Despite being relegated to a reserve role, the All-Star forward and last remaining remnant of Cleveland’s championship era was both very active and motivated against the Hawks, adding 12 points, six boards, and three assists off the bench.

Lauri Markkanen and Collin Sexton also tallied 12 points each.

What ultimately won the game for the Cavs, however, was their much-improved defense. They finally held their opponents to below a hundred points for the first time in three games, while reaching the century scoring mark themselves.

Sure, they almost let another one slide away as Atlanta mounted a late comeback, but their third quarter effort on both ends did enough to cover the difference.

The coaching staff, as well as the players, still need to find a way to consistently close out games if the team is to realistically go after one of the Eastern Conference’s play-in berths. It’s good to finally get that first win out of the way.

After completing the grueling second night of a back-to-back at home, the Cavs will only get a day off as they get back on the road to face the Denver Nuggets on the 25th.