NBA roundup: Trae Young, Hawks hand Cavaliers first home loss of the season

The Cleveland Cavaliers, currently leading the Eastern Conference, experienced their first home defeat of the season, falling unexpectedly to the Atlanta Hawks with a score of 135-124 on Wednesday.

This marked Cleveland's second loss of the season, which came after a strong performance in the second half by Atlanta. De'Andre Hunter contributed significantly off the bench with 26 points, while Jalen Johnson added 22 points and Trae Young recorded 20 points along with a career-high 22 assists.

Young effectively sealed the game for the Hawks with a remarkable 39-foot three-pointer, extending the lead to 129-122 with just 1:43 left on the clock, shortly after committing a turnover.

Johnson emphasized the importance of Young's assists in securing the victory, asserting that he deserves greater recognition for his contributions to the team.

"He was really getting off the ball and finding everyone... a lot of people don't necessarily talk about him even though he's leading the league in assists, but they don't talk about him as the playmaker," he remarked.

With this victory, the Hawks improved their record to 8-11, and Young expressed confidence in the team's potential.

"They are a really good team who have been playing well all year and I feel we have been a little inconsistent but the times that we have played well, we've played really well," he stated.

For Cleveland, Donovan Mitchell scored 30 points, and Evan Mobley recorded 22 points along with 13 rebounds. However, the Cavaliers missed the opportunity to become the first team to achieve an 18-1 start.

In another matchup, the Houston Rockets required overtime to secure a 122-115 victory over the struggling Philadelphia 76ers, who hold a record of 3-14. Alperen Sengun was instrumental, scoring 22 points and grabbing 14 rebounds along with seven assists, with half of his points coming during the overtime period, helping the Rockets improve to 14-6.

James Harden led the Los Angeles Clippers to a 121-96 win against the Washington Wizards, scoring 43 points. Harden's impressive performance included 23 points in the first quarter, and he exited the game late in the third quarter as the Wizards faced their 13th consecutive loss.

The Miami Heat triumphed over the Charlotte Hornets with a score of 98-94, highlighted by Tyler Herro's impressive 27-point performance and Duncan Robinson's six successful three-point shots.

Bam Adebayo contributed significantly with a double-double, recording 10 rebounds and 10 assists, while LaMelo Ball led the Hornets with 32 points and 10 rebounds.

In a notable turn of events, Miami's star player Jimmy Butler exited the game during the third quarter due to back tightness and did not return. With just 10 seconds remaining, the Hornets were narrowing the gap, but Herro intercepted Ball's pass intended for Brandon Miller, resulting in a pivotal turnover.

SportsLigue