The Hawks are (officially) playoff bound

The Atlanta Hawks officially clinched a playoff berth with a dominant 124-102 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday, securing the Southeast Division title for the first time since 2021 and locking in a top-six seed. Host Brad Roland reflects on the team's remarkable turnaround from a 10th-place standing at the All-Star break to a playoff-caliber team, overcoming injuries to Trae Young and Kristaps Porzingis, roster instability, and inconsistent performances. The win was fueled by balanced scoring, a 16-0 run in the third quarter, and a historic triple-double from Dyson Daniels, while C.J. McCollum delivered a 29-point, red-hot first-half performance. Despite some clunky stretches and a late-game rotation change that allowed Cleveland to cut the lead slightly, the Hawks maintained control throughout. With the playoffs now confirmed, the focus shifts to Sunday’s road game against Miami, where the Hawks can secure the 5th seed or maintain it with help from other results. Roland emphasizes that avoiding the play-in tournament was the primary goal, and regardless of whether they face the Knicks or Cavs in the first round, the Hawks are poised to compete.