The Atlanta Hawks were back in the states after playing their first two preseason games against the Milwaukee Bucks in Abu Dhabi. The Hawks headed to Cleveland to take on the Cavaliers in what seemed like a dress rehearsal for the team before the season starts.
Both teams started the game rusty, with a credit to their defenses. Dejounte Murray was able to get things going with his bread-and-butter mid-range shot.
With Bogdan Bogdanovic still recovering from knee surgery, AJ Griffin was the first player off the bench for the Hawks. Jalen Johnson, who missed the trip to Abu Dhabi, played his first minutes in the preseason for the team.