No matter how much optimism they start the season with, the Hawks always find a way to finish close to a 50% win rate. They now stand at 2-3 after becoming the Heat’s first victim, with strange feelings around the team. Cleveland, after their forgettable opening night, are showing a character that the Cavs are usually denied.
Hawks vs Cavaliers date and time
Date: 29 October 2026, in the early hours of the 30th in UK time.
Time: These are the Hawks vs Cavaliers start times by time zone.
| United Kingdom | 00:00 |
| Dominican Republic, USA (Boston, New York and Miami), Puerto Rico and Venezuela | 19:00 |
| Mexico (central), USA (Texas and Chicago), El Salvador, Costa Rica and Nicaragua | 17:00 |
| Mexico (Pacific) and USA (Los Angeles) | 15:00 |
| Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay | 20:00 |
| Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Panama | 18:00 |
Venue: State Farm Arena, Atlanta (Georgia)
Hawks vs Cavaliers starting fives
With reports still to emerge during the day about disguised rest absences, both sides are set to start their ideal five.
| HAWKS | CAVALIERS |
| CJ McCollum | James Harden |
| Dyson Daniels | Donovan Mitchell |
| Nickeil Alexander-Walker | Peyton Watson |
| Jalen Johnson | Evan Mobley |
| Onyeka Okongwu | Jarret Allen |
Hawks vs Cavaliers: best bet
Both teams are playing a back-to-back and, although the Cavaliers may suffer more fatigue, they also have the emotional boost of the win Atlanta could not secure. Overall, the Cavs are looking like the better team in this start, against a far from easy schedule.
Latest on the Hawks: absences and form
- Out: Mouhamed Gueye
Three straight defeats for Atlanta: twice against Houston and the latest against the Heat. What these opponents have in common is, of course, their inside power. The Hawks are struggling to control the rebound on their own boards and to deny the opposition’s big men inside positions. Tonight they face Evan Mobley and Jarret Allen, who do not exactly make a living in the restricted area, but can cause problems.
The team has a deep rotation on the wings, but lacks some control from the point guard spot that Jalen Johnson is forced to provide and, of course, a rotation at centre limited to Okongwu and Jock Landale. Two centres who do not exactly play big.
The key will be whether they can maintain their transition game through perimeter defence and avoid being penalised so heavily inside.
Player to watch: Jalen Johnson
He comes off a horrible game, partly because Bam Adebayo defended him the whole night, minimising the physical impact he usually imposes in every game. Tonight he will probably have to dance with Peyton Watson, and his mission will be to feed the off-ball game that Alexander-Walker and Daniels carry out against Mitchell and Harden.
Latest on the Cavaliers: absences and form
- Out: Nae’Qwan Tomlin
A commendable reaction from Cleveland after letting a 29-point lead slip on opening night. Since then, they have beaten Brooklyn, Minnesota and Washington. The latter will have plenty to say this season now that AJ Dybantsa has made his debut.
The team is coasting quite a bit in the early stages before tightening up, especially on defence, coming out of the locker room. They suffer in transition because of the nature of their starting five, but they have the tools to stem the bleeding in those circumstances. Peyton Watson has already settled in as a supporting scorer, James Harden is pacing himself successfully and Evan Mobley is shooting superbly and acting as a connector, as well as having started imperious at the back.
Player to watch: Donovan Mitchell
Despite his fourth quarter and overtime against the Timberwolves, Donovan Mitchell has yet to have an explosive offensive game. It is due. He comes off two games sharing the ball very well, going inside with determination and dishing out 7 assists in both. Today, against a team that is physical on the perimeter, he will have to carry more of the load than Harden.
Hawks vs Cavaliers: head-to-head record
Last season the Hawks won the head-to-head, although the Cavs lead 4-3 over the last two. This will be their first meeting of the season. Surprisingly, given the LeBron James era, Atlanta leads the all-time series 134-116.
Hawks vs Cavaliers predictions
Evan Mobley over 9.5 rebounds. Cleveland’s big man could have an interesting opportunity to dominate the boards against an Atlanta defence that has conceded 46.8 rebounds per game to its opponents. Mobley is projected to grab around 10 rebounds and his physical presence can make a difference, especially on the defensive glass and in second-chance opportunities.
Under 239.5 points. Both teams are capable of scoring, but the projected line is quite high. Cleveland average 119.8 points scored and Atlanta 120.2, although the Hawks have allowed opponents to shoot 31.3% from three. If Atlanta manage to limit the Cavaliers’ perimeter shooting, the game could stay below the 240-point barrier.
Cleveland handicap +5.5. The Hawks are favourites, but a tight game is the logical expectation. If the Cavs lose, it should not be by too many points.
Where to watch Hawks vs Cavaliers
The game between Atlanta Hawks and Cleveland Cavaliers will be available in the UK through an NBA League Pass subscription.