Onyeka Okongwu reaches Paul Millsap territory against the Cavaliers

Mr. Okongwu accomplished a feat which Paul Millsap last performed in Atlanta Hawks’ NBA Cup match against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night.

Okongwu is in his sixth season in the league, all with the Hawks. He has shown solid growth each campaign, becoming more active on offense as an interior shooter and rebounder.

In 34 minutes of action, Okongwu finished with 18 points, seven rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks. He shot 8-of-14 from the field, including 2-of-5 from beyond the arc.

His blocking effort in franchise historyaccording to the team’s PR account. He is tied with Millsap for 13th most blocks ever by an Atlanta player in the team’s existence.

“With two blocks so far in tonight’s game, Onieka Okongwu has tied Paul Millsap for 13th most blocks in franchise history (348),” the post said.

As Onieka Okongwu, the Hawks played against the Cavaliers

It was Onyeko Okongwu’s career-highest feat with the Hawks, helping them beat the Cavaliers 130-123 to end the NBA Cup group stage.

Both teams traded blows during the first half. Atlanta struck first with a 33-23 lead after the first quarter before Cleveland responded by taking a halftime lead. However, Atlanta responded with an outstanding second-half attack, regaining the momentum by the end of the game.

Ball movement, turnovers and fast break balls made the difference in this match. The Hawks dominated in all three categories, dishing out 36 assists, limiting the turnovers to 14 and scoring 36 fast breaks. It wasn’t the same for the Cavaliers as they dished out 29 assists, turned the ball over 17 times and scored just 17 points on the fast break.

Seven players scored in double figures for Atlanta in the win, including Okongwu. Jaylen Johnson led the way with 29 points, 12 rebounds, 12 assists and two steals. He shot 9-of-18 overall, including 3-of-7 from downtown and 8-of-12 from the free throw line. It’s Nikhil Alexander-Walker’s turn with 28 points and three rebounds, Zachary Rizaher had 16 points and three rebounds, while Dyson Daniels had 10 points and nine assists.

Atlanta improved to a 12-8 record on the season, holding onto fifth place in the Eastern Conference standings. They are in a three-way tie with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Orlando Magic while trailing the New York Knicks by one game.

The Hawks will be looking forward to their next match, as they are on the road. They face the Philadelphia 76ers on November 30th at 6pm ET.