Apr 8, 2026 - Sports

Cavs take on red-hot Hawks in likely playoff preview

Sam Allard

Basketball players in white and black on red court. One player holds ball wearing black hawks jersey. Defender in white, No. 4. — Evan Mobley guards the Hawks' ascendant Jalen Johnson. Photo: Paras Griffin/Getty Images

The Cavs take on the Atlanta Hawks Wednesday and Friday in the last two consequential games of the 2025-2026 regular season.

Why it matters: The Hawks have been one of the NBA's hottest teams over the past two months and are likely to be the Cavs' first-round opponent in the NBA playoffs.

These two games will be an important measuring stick.

Catch up quick: The Cavs are 16-8 since the All-Star Break, with new additions James Harden, Dennis Schröder and Keon Ellis all contributing.

Reality check: Roughly a third of the league is actively trying to lose to secure top positioning in the upcoming NBA draft lottery — an unprecedented "tanking" phenomenon that has inflated the records of legitimate teams.

🩼 The big picture: The Cavs are once again limping into the postseason.

Injuries have decimated the roster all year, and are coming back with a vengeance at the worst time.
Starting center Jarrett Allen has been easing his way back from "severe tendonitis" in his knee, while perimeter players Dean Wade, Jaylon Tyson and Sam Merrill have all missed multiple games recently.

What's next: If the Eastern Conference standings hold, the Cavs will be the No. 4 seed and the Hawks will be the No. 5.

The Cavs would have home-court advantage in the series scheduled to begin the weekend of April 18.

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Cavs take on red-hot Hawks in likely playoff preview

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