Atlanta Hawks vs Cleveland Cavaliers Box Score on Dec 23, 2019

Collin Sexton scored 25 points and the Cleveland Cavaliers held off the visiting Atlanta Hawks 121-118 on Monday to record their first three-game winning streak of the season.

Sexton was 12 of 20 from the field and has scored 23-plus points in four of the past six games. Sexton also added six rebounds.

The Cavaliers trailed 94-90 late in the third quarter before going on a 16-2 run and eventually led by 14 points. But Atlanta closed with a 13-2 run and used a Trae Young 3-pointer to close the margin to three points with 49.8 seconds left. It was still 121-118 when Atlanta had a chance to tie, but Young missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer.

It was the eighth straight loss for Atlanta.

Darius Garland, who had two 3-pointers during Cleveland's fourth-quarter surge, finished with 21 points. Kevin Love added 20 points, eight rebounds and five assists, and Cedi Osman scored 18. Kevin Porter Jr. came off the bench to score 15.

The Atlanta Hawks celebrated the return of John Collins, who had 27 points -- hitting 12 of 20 from the field -- and 10 rebounds. Collins had missed 25 games because of a suspension for violating the NBA's drug policy. The Hawks were 4-21 with Collins out of the lineup and dropped into the cellar of the Eastern Conference.

Atlanta got 30 points from Young, who hit his first three 3-pointers of the game but finished just 5 of 14. It was his fifth straight game with at least 30 points. Young added 11 assists and six rebounds. Rookie De'Andre Hunter scored 23, and Kevin Huerter added 19.

Cleveland used a 42-point first quarter to take a 71-64 halftime advantage. Atlanta came back and took the lead before struggling to start the fourth quarter.

Atlanta returns home on Friday to play the Milwaukee Bucks. The Cavaliers are on the road Friday to play the Boston Celtics.

--Field Level Media