The Oklahoma City Thunder dominated their arch-rivals, the Cleveland Cavaliers, in a thrilling 134-114 win. The Thunder avenged a previous loss to the Cavaliers, showcasing their impressive skills and teamwork.
In the first half, Oklahoma City took control, leading by 26 points. This was the largest deficit of the season for the Cavaliers. By halftime, the lead swelled to 42 points in the third quarter before benches emptied.
Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander single-handedly outscored the Cavaliers in the first quarter and finished with 40 points in just 29 minutes. He set a new record for the Thunder/SuperSonics by scoring 40 in fewer than 30 minutes.
Oklahoma City’s top-ranked defense stifled the Cavaliers’ high-powered offense, forcing 13 turnovers that were converted into 22 points. The Thunder held Cleveland to 49 points in the first half and outscored them in rebounds.
Cavaliers star guard Donovan Mitchell had a poor performance, scoring just eight points on 3-of-15 shooting. Lu Dort played a crucial role on defense, harassing Mitchell and limiting his scoring opportunities.
The Thunder’s victory was fueled by their strong communication and core principles. They emphasized playing hard throughout the game and getting back to their identity. The team credited their defensive prowess for the win.
“We just try and play hard the whole time,” said Jalen Williams, a star forward for the Thunder. “When we can get our communication and just our core principles in the game – and we didn’t do a good job of that the first time we played them and were able to do that tonight – and I think that makes it hard for teams.”
The Cavaliers will look to bounce back from this tough loss, while the Thunder continue to lead their division with a 34-6 record.
Source: https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/43448007/thunder-even-score-rout-cavs-battle-nba-best-teams