The extremely anticipated matchup between the NBA’s convention leaders — the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Oklahoma City Thunder — lived as much as the hype after which some Wednesday evening in Cleveland.
Both groups entered the sport using double-digit win streaks and the sport performed out like a heavyweight tilt. The rating was hardly ever past two possessions all through, however a late Cavs run that featured clutch taking pictures and some large stops secured a 129-122 win for the East’s high seed.
Cleveland was capable of transfer its win streak to 11 regardless of Donovan Mitchell solely scoring 11 factors on 3-of-16 taking pictures. Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley picked up the slack, combining for 46 factors and 22 rebounds.
The loss snapped a 15-game win streak for the Thunder, who have been within the sport till the ultimate minute regardless of foul bother for star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and middle Isaiah Hartenstein early within the second half. Gilgeous-Alexander completed with a game-high 31 factors and 9 assists, whereas Hartenstein completed two assists shy of a triple-double with 18 factors and 11 rebounds.
The groups will meet once more Jan. 16 in Oklahoma City, however first let’s take a better have a look at tonight’s sport. What did we study every group tonight? What ought to we be on the lookout for within the rematch? And will we be seeing this matchup in June within the NBA Finals?
Our NBA Insiders Tim Bontemps, Kevin Pelton and Brian Windhorst break down the marquee matchup of the 2024-25 season up to now.
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Darius Garland’s dagger sends Cavs followers right into a frenzy
Cleveland followers erupt after Darius Garland’s clutch basket places the sport away vs. the Thunder.
What did we be taught in regards to the Cavaliers on this sport?
Bontemps: That they belong. Even after the sport, Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson acknowledged there have been doubts about Cleveland’s capability to win this sport, and whether or not this group is really pretty much as good as its record shows. But in a sport the place Mitchell went 3-for-16, Cleveland was capable of beat an Oklahoma City group that had received 15 video games in a row and is seen as a real title contender. After this sport, the doubts about Cleveland being in that class ought to not exist.
Pelton: Max Strus provides them one other weapon. It’s exhausting to say the Cavaliers had missed Strus this season, given they have been already 23-4 by the point he made his season debut on Dec. 20, however his 5 3-pointers and 5 assists off the bench Wednesday have been difference-making. Strus was on the court docket down the stretch, giving Cleveland a bit extra athleticism than beginning small ahead Dean Wade and extra power than sixth man Caris LeVert.
Windhorst: There is not any true winner or loser on this sport. Both these groups displayed a mastery of their methods. The execution within the third quarter of this sport, which OKC received 43-41, was maybe essentially the most technically splendid 12 minutes of midseason basketball I’ve ever witnessed. The Cavs strolling away with the win is significant, however they’d admit there may be little or no area between these groups. Cleveland’s capability to run their offense and generate their customary quantity of open appears with their tight passing and spacing in opposition to such an incredible protection in all probability was most rewarding for them.
What did we be taught in regards to the Thunder on this sport?
Bontemps: That Chet Holmgren stays this group’s second-most vital participant. Cleveland completely dominated this sport within the paint, with Allen and Mobley going for 46 factors on 17-for-21 taking pictures on 2-point pictures. Hartenstein is a superb large man, however he is the one true middle except for Holmgren within the Thunder’s core rotation. If OKC had them on the court docket collectively on this sport, it may have made the distinction.
Pelton: They can survive a stretch with out the MVP frontrunner. Up one level when Gilgeous-Alexander went to the bench with 4 fouls halfway by the third quarter, Oklahoma City went down six at one level however rallied to the sport by the point Gilgeous-Alexander returned almost 5 minutes later. Despite Gilgeous-Alexander’s low foul fee, the Thunder will seemingly face an analogous state of affairs in some unspecified time in the future within the postseason and might reference this second for instance of what they will do with out their star participant.
Windhorst: The Thunder dearly missed Holmgren on this matchup. As properly because the the Cavs bigs performed — Allen performed his second brillant sport up to now week, together with outplaying Anthony Davis on New Year’s Eve — it was exhausting to not image how issues can be totally different if OKC may match the Cavs double-big look. OKC is 15-2 within the final 17 video games, together with the NBA Cup loss to Milwaukee. Size was a giant consider each, they usually have the repair already on their roster.
What’s one factor we must always look ahead to in subsequent week’s rematch?
Bontemps: The chess match between Cleveland’s dominance on the glass and Oklahoma City’s typical dominance within the turnover battle. The Thunder are obsessive about successful the possession sport, they usually normally do. In this sport, each groups had 90 pictures however the Cavaliers shot an additional 10 free throws. Oklahoma City pressured 15 turnovers for 21 factors, however Cleveland pressured 19 for 21. And Cleveland’s edges in factors within the paint (60 to 54) and second-chance factors (24 to twenty) have been the distinction. The similar formulation will apply subsequent week.
Pelton: Better protection. In apply, it is probably not true that the very best offenses beat the very best defenses. Since the 1996-97 season, top-five offenses have averaged virtually exactly the league’s common factors per possession in matchups in opposition to top-five defenses. If we restrict that to the No. 1 offense (like Cleveland this season) in opposition to the No. 2 protection (Oklahoma City), it is about 1% higher than common. Yet the Cavaliers beat their season-long effectivity, taking pictures 52% from the sphere and 42% from 3, whereas the Thunder (53% from the sphere, 35.5% on 3s) weren’t far behind. It’s unlikely we’ll see each groups shoot so precisely in Oklahoma City.
Windhorst: I’d be stunned if the Thunder allowed 129 factors on their dwelling court docket. The Cavs have been repeatedly capable of beat them with the “second cross,” notably as they peeled out of pick-and-rolls and beat the Oklahoma City assist protection across the rim. It led to so many deep entry passes for simple baskets or conditions the place the Thunder needed to foul. I might count on they’d be higher ready for that subsequent week.
Was this a Finals preview?
Bontemps: It is perhaps — which is one thing I seemingly would not have mentioned 24 hours in the past. Cleveland confirmed me an absolute ton on this sport. Mobley confirmed he is an All-Star lock this season. The Cavaliers took each punch from the Thunder and threw a stronger one again each time. The end result was a thirty second win in 36 video games. I wrote in regards to the comparisons between this group and the 2014-15 Golden State Warriors forward of Wednesday’s sport — one other group that got here out of nowhere, was doubted all through that season, and finally received a title. I will not say Cleveland will try this proper now, however I’ll say the Cavaliers are adequate to make it to June.
Pelton: I’d nonetheless guess in opposition to it at even odds. Projections utilizing ESPN’s Basketball Power Index give these groups the 2 finest probabilities of making the Finals and but nonetheless present this particular matchup occurring simply 35% of the time. I’d choose the Boston Celtics over the Cavaliers to win the East. Although the Thunder are the clear favourite within the West, there’s lots that may occur to alter that between now and late May.
Windhorst: I’m not saying a foul phrase about both of those groups out of respect after watching that show. I’m additionally not predicting the Finals in January. But I’ll give them this, there have been multiple championship group I’ve seen during the last twenty years that would not beat these two.
