HIGHLIGHTS: Cleveland Cavaliers take command of playoff series after third win over Atlanta Hawks

The Cleveland Cavaliers finished strongly to beat the Atlanta Hawks and take a 3-0 lead in their NBA play-off series.

The Cavs were in a strong position going into the third match in their Eastern Conference second round contest and they tightened their grip with a 121-108 victory in Atlanta.

The Hawks led for much of the contest but a 20-3 run in the fourth quarter turned things around at the Philips Arena to give Cleveland a 10th successive win over their opponents.

Channing Frye netted 27 points for the visitors, with LeBron James and Kyrie Irving each pouring in 24. Al Horford led the way for the Hawks, again with 24.

The Cavs’ 14th consecutive victory in Eastern Conference play-off games puts them within one match of closing the series – which would give them three to seven days more rest than the winner of the Miami Heat v Toronto Raptors clash.