The Hawks have officially secured an Eastern Conference playoff berth following Friday’s win over the Cavaliers, the NBA officially announced.
Atlanta improved to 46-35 with the victory, also locking up the Southeast Division title. It marks the first time the Hawks have avoided the play-in tournament since the 2020-21 season, when they advanced to the conference finals as the No. 5 seed.
Dyson Daniels recorded his second career triple-double with 13 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists, while CJ McCollum led the team with 29 points in just 24 minutes.
While Atlanta has clinched a top-six spot, its exact seeding remains undecided heading into Sunday’s regular-season finale.
The Hawks can secure the No. 5 seed with a win at Miami. The Raptors, currently 45-36 and sitting in sixth place, also control their own fate and would clinch that spot with a win over Brooklyn.
There are still scenarios in which Orlando or Philadelphia could move up to No. 6. The Magic would need a win over Boston and a Raptors loss, while the Sixers would require losses by both Toronto and Orlando, along with a win over Milwaukee.
If all four teams win on Sunday, the current standings would hold, with Atlanta at No. 5.
Elsewhere, Charlotte is locked into the play-in tournament and will face Miami in the 9-10 game. The Hornets can secure the No. 9 seed with a win over New York or a Heat loss, while Miami would need a win over Atlanta and a Charlotte loss to move up.
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