The Cleveland Cavaliers won a clash of titans this Wednesday against the Oklahoma City Thunder (129-122), a duel between franchises that had respectively ten and fifteen consecutive wins, and increased their streak to eleven to reinforce their first place in the East with a balance of 32 wins and four losses.
Coach Kenny Atkinson’s Cavs set no limits and defeated the Thunder, who continue to lead the West with 30 wins and six losses, in a basketball recital. Jarrett Allen led the Cavs’ victory with a double-double of 25 points and twelve rebounds, to which he added six assists and three steals, with nine of eleven field goals.
Against one of the fiercest defenses in the NBA, the Cavaliers scored 129 points and finished with seven players in double figures. Evan Mobley had 21 points, ten rebounds and seven assists and Darius Garland contributed 18 points.
Even on a night in which Donovan Mitchell, the one who averages the most points for the Cavs this year, was not successful, Atkinson’s men were able to come out winners. Max Strus shined off the bench with 17 points and five of six in triples. With the best balance in the NBA, the Cavaliers gave a warning to the league by defeating the Thunder in which Shai Gilgeous Alexander scored 31 points and Jalen Williams contributed 25 points and nine assists.
Historic crossing in Cleveland
Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse hosted a monumental crossover between the NBA’s two most dominant franchises. The Thunder took their fifteen consecutive winning streak to Cleveland to challenge the Cavs who had won ten and who, previously, had opened their campaign with fifteen consecutive wins.
An authentic clash of titans that was reflected on the court, with an intense, hard-fought game, with practically identical percentages at halftime that were close to 50% and the Cavs able to take a three-point margin to the locker room at 62-59.
A double victory for Kenny Atkinson’s team, as Donovan Mitchell, stopped by a brilliant one-on-one defense by Luguentz Dort, barely hit an eight-point field goal.
Against one of the fiercest defenses in the NBA, the Cavaliers scored 129 points and finished with seven players in double figures
Faced with Mitchell’s difficulties, the Cavs relied on the power in the paint of Jarrett Allen (15 points and 6 rebounds at halftime) and Evan Mobley (13 points), and they also had a fit Strus, who sealed three of his first four attempts from the perimeter.
With Gilgeous Alexander and Williams supporting OKC with 16 and 13 points, respectively, the Cavs returned to the locker room in an atmosphere of total euphoria, after Mitchell shook off the pressure with a powerful two-handed dunk that certified the 62- 59.
The Thunder, who had reached a nine-point lead at the beginning of the second period, were down by six (87-81) in the third period due to a new triple from Strus, but, supported by Isaiah Hartenstein, they managed to keep the match in balance.
Isaiah Hartenstein opposed by Evan Mobley.
However, they were signs that the Cavs, pushed by their fans, could step on the accelerator at any moment. They did it with an 8-0 run culminated by Ty Jerome to make it 114-107, and after a response from OKC with a 6-0, Donovan Mitchell nailed a great triple to once again increase the Cavs’ lead to 121- 114 with four and a half minutes left.
The decisive blow to the game came in the last two minutes, when the Cavs managed to close their defense and regain a seven-point lead with a great individual play by Darius Garland, who increased the score to 129-122 with 27.4 seconds on the clock. The Thunder could not respond, as they fell with honor in a spectacular game.
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