Cavaliers beat Thunder in a match between top NBA teams
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The Cleveland Cavaliers can officially lay claim to the title of the NBA’s top team. For now.
The Cavs defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 129-122 on Wednesday in a contest that lived up to its bill as a showdown between the best in the East and the best in the West. Normally, you have to wait for the NBA Finals for a game like that.
The matchup broke a 15-game winning streak for the Thunder, and continued an 11-game winning streak for Cleveland. The Cavaliers are now 32-4, and on their way to their second double-digit win of the season.
By the end of the first quarter, the Thunder were up seven. By the end of the second, the Cavaliers were up by three. By the end of the third, the Cavaliers were ahead by one, then lost the lead on the first OKC possession of the fourth. Neither team ever led by double digits and the lead was exchanged 30 times.
With another scheduled matchup in a little over a week, the NBA’s best offense defeated the NBA’s best defense. However, some observers would be surprised if these teams played four to seven more times.
It was definitely the Cavaliers’ game being played, with each team shooting above 50% on 90 field-goal attempts. As some will note, the Thunder entered the game missing key players Chet Holmgren and Alex Caruso, and they nearly made up for it with their third-best shooting performance of the season. Unfortunately for OKC, the Cavaliers’ offense got a little more comfortable with the home crowd behind them.
Jarrett Allen led the Cavaliers with 25 points on 9-11 shooting, along with 12 rebounds, six assists and three steals. He tallied 36 assists on the Cavaliers’ 47 field goals, finding holes in an OKC defense that has squeezed the life out of most teams he’s played.
The Thunder could potentially get Holmgren and/or Caruso back in time for next Thursday’s game, but Wednesday showed you don’t need both teams to be 100% to have a good time. Even though the Thunder lost, they left the field having no reason to think they were not the top team in the West.