Rookie Evan Mobley had 17 points and 11 rebounds to help the Cleveland Cavaliers rally for their first win of the season with a 101-95 over the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday night.
Ricky Rubio had 23 points and eight assists, and Jarrett Allen added 11 points and 14 rebounds for Cleveland, which trailed by 13 points in the second quarter. The Cavaliers had lost their first two games, both by 11.
Mobley, the No. 3 overall selection from USC, scored seven points during a 21-0 run that put Cleveland ahead 67-58 in the third. Atlanta went scoreless for 4:28 after Trae Young made a layup with 46 seconds left in the second quarter.
Young paced the Hawks with 24 points and seven assists, while Cam Reddish scored 19 points off the bench and Clint Capela had 10 points and 14 rebounds. Atlanta won its opener 113-87 over Dallas two days earlier.
The Hawks pulled within 99-95 in the final minute, but missed a pair of shots before Lauri Markkanen sealed the win by making two free throws with 15 seconds remaining.
Mobley also blocked four shots in 35 minutes. The 7-foot power forward has started all three games and is averaging 15.7 points and 8.3 rebounds.
Collin Sexton, Lauri Markkanen and Kevin Love each scored 12 points for Cleveland, which committed a season-low 10 turnovers. The Cavaliers’ 21-point run was their longest since Dec. 11, 2019 against Houston, when they scored 24 straight.
A 3-pointer by Bogdan Bogdanovic gave Atlanta its largest lead at 43-30, but Rubio answered with six points in the final 3:03 of the second quarter to pull the Cavaliers within 55-53 at intermission.
Young scored nine points in the first quarter and Reddish had five off the bench as Atlanta held a 27-24 lead after the first.
Hawks: G Lou Williams (left hip soreness) was active and available, but the 17th-year pro did not play. … F Danilo Gallinari (left shoulder soreness) and F Onyeka Okongwu (right shoulder recovery) remain out and have not made their season debuts.
Cavaliers: Starting G Darius Garland (left ankle sprain) missed his second straight game after being hurt in the opener at Memphis. … G Dylan Windler (right hip strain) has been inactive for all three games. He will travel with the team on its five-game road trip.
Hawks: Host Detroit on Monday. Atlanta is in the midst of playing four road games in a five-game stretch that ends on Oct. 30.
Cavaliers: Visit Denver on Monday. Cleveland will not play at home until Nov. 3 against Portland.