Thunder vs. Cavaliers: Highlights from Cleveland’s impressive win

As we approach the midpoint of the regular season, three teams in the NBA stand out as real contenders. This does not mean that all three will find themselves in the conference finals, nor does it mean that no other team will enter the picture. But for now, the Oklahoma City Thunder, Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers appear to be a notch above everyone else.

The Thunder and Cavs faced off on Wednesday night, having both won 25 straight games (15 straight for the Thunder, 10 for the Cavs), and the Cavs took care of business, closing out their victory with a 129-122 victory. The series continued.

These are matchups that could also drop some important breadcrumbs as to who will face each other in June. The Thunder disposed of the Celtics somewhat convincingly on Sunday night – offering a tasty subplot for this marquee matchup.

Here are some key takeaways from Wednesday night’s game that could prove important in the future:

SGA understands its responsibility

One of the league’s best players and MVP candidate, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander once again displayed the combination of his 6-foot-6 frame, patient offense and excellent court vision to consistently probe Cleveland’s defense. He finished with 31 points on 13-of-27 shooting.

The 26-year-old is one of the most powerful and fluid two-way stars in the league and is bound to average over 30 points over the next few years by being fundamentally sound and shooting within the offensive flow.

That said, when the Thunder go through offensive droughts, Gilgeous-Alexander will occasionally step out of the offense and call his number on consecutive possessions, which is ultimately the role of a superstar. Against the Cavs, with the lead constantly changing, the All-NBA guard decided to take matters into his own hands.

caves using depth

Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson has reduced his starters’ minutes, with only Donovan Mitchell scoring 31 per game. Atkinson relies on depth, with Caris LeVert, Max Strus, Georges Niang and Ty Jerome playing plenty of minutes off the bench, while still being counted on as legitimate offensive contributors who space the floor.

Strus was a consistent presence throughout the game, hitting five triples, scoring 17 points and proving how important his return is to Cleveland’s Finals chances. Strus missed the first 28 games of the season and has now returned to the lineup, where his shooting often serves as the glue between the four Cavs stars.

OKC could really use Chet Holmgren

Thunder misses Chet Holmgren, full stop. While Isaiah Hartenstein has done an admirable job — which is to be expected even for someone making $30 million this season — Holmgren’s presence would have drastically changed the dynamics of Oklahoma City’s interior game as they face Jarrett Allen. And went against Evan Mobley.

That doesn’t mean Hartenstein didn’t play well. He finished with 18 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists, blocking the paint well defensively and swinging the ball efficiently. His agile 7-foot body and sneaky athleticism remain the biggest defensive assets on the interior for the Thunder. Needless to say, he’s not the same level of floor spacer as Holmgren, which means there’s no downside to the matchup between these two teams that we didn’t get to see.

The two teams will play again on January 16 and while Holmgren has been increasing his physical activity, it remains to be seen if he will be available that day. Even if he is, he will most likely play in a limited capacity.

evan mobley is rising

Evan Mobley continues to be the X-factor for Cleveland. When he’s active around the rim, attempting rebounds and second-chance points, he’s putting a tremendous amount of pressure on opponents. When he’s trying to create too much on the perimeter and off-the-dribble, those are assets that aren’t going away from Mitchell and Darius Garland.

Mobley, who scored 21 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and dished out seven assists, is having a career season, but his offense is bound to take another leap in the coming years. He is currently sharing the offensive load with some heavy hitters, but there are shots he can hunt during the game that are there for him if he wants. As a 7-foot player with strong ball-handling abilities, the sky is truly the limit for him. But he will have to search for it.

All-Star Jalen Williams?

Jalen Williams is the best player in the league that no one is really talking about except Thunder fans. The 6-5 Swiss Army knife man plays the four position, averaging 20.6 points on the season and serves as a secondary creator who often flies under the radar.

Williams, who finished with 25 points and nine assists, got off to a hot start, scoring seven points and grabbing three rebounds in the first five minutes as she tried to set the tone. His wide, physical frame absorbs contact, which allows him to finish plays through traffic, giving the Thunder a notable slashing presence to take pressure off Gilgeous-Alexander.

As good as the Thunder are, it’s hard to argue against Williams as a true All-Star candidate this season. Some might present more startling statistics, but Williams’ case for impact is strong.

Donovan Mitchell is making it look easy

Donovan Mitchell is clearly saving himself for the postseason. His 23.3-point scoring average is modest for his standard, but that appears to be by design. Mitchell spent years scoring at ridiculously high rates in Utah as well as during his first two seasons in Cleveland, but now he has scaled back and relied more on the abundance of talent on the roster.

That doesn’t mean Mitchell isn’t still as capable a scorer as he once was. The Thunder clearly factored him into their game plan, rotating Gilgeous-Alexander and second-year man Cason Wallace on him. He started very poorly, scoring 0 of 6 until scoring his first point with 1:53 remaining in the first half. He finished 3 of 16 from the floor for 11 points and will undoubtedly look for a better start when these two teams face off again.

Darius Garland is back

Garland played an excellent game despite a modest line of 18 points and seven assists, continuing his comeback after a poor performance the previous season. The 6-2 lead guard is one of the most efficient scoring guards in the NBA, but what’s notable is how much the game has slowed down for him. In the past, he would often try to force the issue, take ill-advised shots and make questionable decisions with the ball. But under Atkinson this season, Garland has played the point guard role beautifully, taking full advantage of Cleveland’s rushing attack.

It appears that Garland’s adapted role going forward should always be tailored to a fast-paced attack in which he can set the tone, dictate the pace and take quick shots off the dribble, whether it be from three or to the cup. Reaching up to. Garland is only playing 30 minutes per game this season, and that allows the former All-Star to be all-out in the minutes he gets on the floor. For a guy who was in trade rumors last June, this is a tremendous twist in his story. Under a new head coach, Garland is getting new life in Cleveland, which has allowed the Cavs to be as dominant as they have been this season.

SGA is a lot like MJ?

During last year’s NBA playoffs, a lot of media outlets were busy comparing Minnesota shooting guard Anthony Edwards to Michael Jordan, but are we sure Gilgeous-Alexander isn’t a more appropriate player to be compared to?

The large number of moves and counter-moves in Gilgeous-Alexander’s arsenal leads one to Jordan’s advanced footwork and how he operates in the mid-post. Turnaround fadeaways, midrange pull-ups, up-and-unders and a tirelessness in attacking the rim while contorting his body in a variety of ways highlight Gilgeous-Alexander as a potentially better example to compare to. Jordan.

Jarrett Allen rises to the occasion

Allen is criminally underrated. The 7-foot center is often viewed as a rim-runner, yet it’s his overall post presence that stands out. His keen understanding of timing, when to roll, when to step back and when to hide in the dunker spot is a key offensive component for Cleveland. The former All-Star had an efficient 15 points, six rebounds and four assists in the half, finishing the game with 25 points, 12 rebounds and six assists and sending people an eternal reminder that he is one of the best two-way players. One is the center in the NBA.

Allen is converting nearly 70% from the field on the season, and this is due to the fact that 91.9% of his shots are from within 10 feet of the basket, which gives the Cavs an elite play finishing component that Mobley needs offensively. Allows to move around freely. ,

What do the Thunder need?

The Thunder could get more shooting at the trade deadline. The Cavs had some success getting into the zone, forcing the Thunder to face the reality that although they have solid shooters, they don’t have any dominant zone busters who can consistently space the floor. This doesn’t mean they need a catcher, but if they could find someone who is willing to consistently drop catches without a twinge of conscience, it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.