There was palpable energy at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse for the highly anticipated showdown between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Oklahoma City Thunder. From the jump, it became abundantly clear that this was no ordinary early January regular season meeting.
This was a nationally televised Clash of the Titans featuring two teams with an average of 70 wins. So, naturally (and understandably), there was a lot of hype surrounding the contest. Not only did the Cavaliers-Thunder battle live up to expectations, it also blew them out of the water and left us wanting more. Not only should basketball fans be hoping to see this matchup in June, they deserve to.
Cleveland and Oklahoma City showed exactly why they are the top two teams in their conference (by a decent margin). They have proven to be each other’s strongest rival, demonstrated by their immense strength 30 lead changes And eight matches before the Cavaliers won 129-122. They traded it, traded haymakers, and captured the attention of hoops fans everywhere.
While the players went head-to-head on the pitch, a tactical war was being fought on the sidelines. Cleveland and Oklahoma City head coaches Kenny Atkinson and Mark Daigneault were mad scientists and pushed all the right buttons, specifically in the third quarter.
The Thunder and Cavs came out strong at the start of the second half, scoring 43 and 41 points, respectively. This was the first game of the season for both teams surpassed the 40-point mark in the quarter. That may seem like a blow to their defensive efforts, but it was a testament to the incredible shooting back and forth.
However, in the end, the Cavaliers were able to pull away. Even on a night when franchise point guard Donovan Mitchell scored 11 points on 3-of-16 shooting, they found a way to get the job done. He talks about how Cleveland can beat you to death with a thousand cuts – he’s not the only show in town.
Despite Mitchell’s shortcomings, Atkinson and his teammates were able to make up for the shortcomings. Cleveland deployed zone defense at points throughout the game, which paid off. It exposed Oklahoma City’s lack of secondary ball-handling options other than star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and its three-point woes.
Speaking of Gilgeous-Alexander, he led all scorers with 31 points. But the Cavs were physical and made life difficult for themselves, something every non-Cleveland competitor failed to do. Although it was a team effort, Evan Mobley deserves tremendous credit.
Mobley was transferred to Gilgeous-Alexander several times, coping with the task well and accepting the challenge. The former’s length and strength routinely caused problems for the latter, as did Cavs center Jarrett Allen. Putting big men on the MVP list is usually a recipe for disaster, but the Twin Towers in Cleveland are different.
Cavalloria and Thunder supporters weren’t the only ones preparing for this heavyweight showdown. The entire association was involved and enthusiastic. Both teams came eager to prove something, and everyone was keen to see who would blink first. However, both OKC and Cleveland passed the final test with flying colours.
If the basketball gods are listening, please give us a seven-game Cavs/Thunder 2025 NBA Finals series. Regardless, thankfully, we won’t have to wait long to see them go toe-to-toe again. Cleveland travels to Oklahoma City for a special show on January 16 – so mark your calendar and prepare your popcorn!
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It’s been a long, tough, steep climb that seems to never end, but so have the Detroit Pistons finally Above .500 late in the season.
Detroit improved to 19-18 after beating the Nets 113-98. Broccoli’s defeat gave the Pistons a winning record in January First time Since 2018per Hunter Patterson of The Athletic ($). Talk about dehydration!
To put it in perspective, Pistons star Cade Cunningham was still in high school. While it may not seem like a big deal to be treading water competing for a spot at the bottom end, we can’t overlook the progress Detroit has made.
Going from pathetic to league mediocrity is a huge step forward for the Pistons. They rank in the middle of the pack in defensive, offensive and net ratings and have surpassed last season’s win total. JB Bickerstaff quickly brought optimism to an organization that was desperately searching for any glimmer of hope in his first year as head coach.
Suddenly, the bleak outlook in the Motor City shows signs of promise, with Bickerstaff and Cunningham the catalysts. The duo has worked well in unison, considering the latter is recording a career year across the board.
After an impressive start to the 2024-25 season, it will be fascinating to see if the Pistons change their expectations accordingly. They have plenty of cap space and have been mentioned as willing to acquire salary before the February 6 trade deadline. However, could they look to upgrade the roster instead and try to make a push for the postseason?