CLEVELAND — Under the heat of the national spotlight, the Cavaliers showed the NBA and its fans that they are a championship-caliber team.
It’s only January, so you have to stay healthy, and the playoffs are different. But the Cavaliers are among the few teams capable of reaching the NBA Finals in June.
They continued to provide evidence Wednesday night against another legitimate contender, snapping the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 15-game regular-season winning streak with a 129-122 victory in a battle of basketball heavyweights televised by ESPN.
Just ask the Thunder how dangerous this Cleveland team is. OKC arrived in Cleveland with understanding and then gained even greater appreciation through an unexpected development.
Cleveland’s best player, guard Donovan Mitchell, scored just 11 points on 3-of-16 shooting from the field in 35 minutes, and the Cavaliers still prevailed during the first interleague matchup in NBA history between teams with a winning percentage of .850 or higher. This is late in the season.
This was Mitchell’s second-lowest goal total in a game this season. A night away from the five-time All-Star selection who averaged 23.3 points this season? Don’t panic. It’s not the death knell for the Cavaliers as it has been in previous years, and the significance has struck thunder between their eyes.
“When you’re a good team, you’re able to score 130 goals when your best player doesn’t have a big night. They’re a good team for a reason,” said Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, two-time NBA All-Star. He scored a game-high 31 points on 13-of-27 shooting.
Cleveland Cavaliers news:The Cavaliers defeated the Thunder in a historic NBA game, snapping OKC’s 15-game winning streak.
The Cavs play together and for each other. They are young, but they are mature. They have quality depth and can win in a variety of ways. First-year Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson was a revelation.
All of these factors suggest that greater success in the playoffs is realistic a year after the Cavaliers were eliminated in five games by the reigning NBA champion Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
“This team is playing better than any other team this season in the NBA,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said of the Cavaliers.
With an NBA-leading record of 32-4, the Cavaliers are off to their best start in franchise history. They are also one of only seven teams in league history to start the season 32-4 or better.
The Western Conference-leading Thunder (30-6) had never lost to an Eastern Conference team this season until facing the Cavaliers, who are now 11-0 against the West.
There were 30 lead changes and eight ties during the first game in NBA history that put a team on a 10-game winning streak against an opponent riding a 15-game winning streak. The Cavaliers have now won 11 straight and are 19-1 at home. Atkinson and Daigneault will be able to make changes to their game plans before the Jan. 16 rematch in OKC, another test for each franchise in the form of a potential Finals preview.
Amid Mitchell’s uncharacteristic offensive woes, center Jarrett Allen (25 points, 12 rebounds, six assists) and forward Evan Mobley (21 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists) carried the Cavaliers, who had seven players score in double figures.
Remember the questions about whether Allen and Mobley could be effective together on the field? Well, they are clearly thriving as a duo in Atkinson’s attack.
Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein was a member of the New York Knicks that beat Allen and Mobley in April 2023 when the Cavaliers bounced back from the first round of the playoffs in five games. Cleveland’s big men are classified as soft.
After the Thunder fell to the Cavaliers, Hartenstein didn’t want to give Allen and Mobley too much credit, especially with OKC standout forward Chet Holmgren (fractured right iliac wing) out against Cleveland. Hartenstein had 18 points and 11 rebounds but said he should have been better at the boards. However, Hartenstein admitted that Allen “had a good game” against the Thunder and that the Cavaliers are a “little tougher team” and that “Mobley has gotten a little stronger” since his series with the Knicks.
Entering Wednesday, the Cavaliers led the NBA in offensive rating (121.3), and the Thunder owned the No. 1 defensive rating (102.7). By the end of the night, Daigneault was left lamenting his team’s defensive woes.
The Cavaliers made 47-of-90 shots (52.2%) from the field (15-of-36 3-pointers, 41.7%) and outscored the Thunder 60-54 in the paint.
Darius Garland scored 18 points and seven assists. Junior forward Max Strus and guard Ty Jerome scored 17 and 15 points off the bench, respectively. No one in the fourth quarter scored more than Jerome’s eight points. Like Mitchell, forward Dean Wade scored 11 points. Cleveland’s bench outshot OKC 43-26.
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Mobley’s floater over Hartenstein boosted the Cavaliers to a 127-122 lead with 1:07 left. Garland’s layup against goalkeeper Cason Wallace with 27.4 seconds left in the game was the final dagger.
“They put pressure on you because they have these guys at the point of attack; [Mitchell] “And Garland,” Daigneault said. “Then they got edge presence with a couple of bigs, and then they got shooting.
“Tonight, the rebound hurt us a little bit [the Cavs had a 41-38 edge]. So you have to be really good in all aspects on that end of the floor against them. That’s why they are the best attack in the league, and they outplayed us.”
The Cavs are still good on the other end of the floor as well, ranking eighth in defensive rating (110.1). They routinely run screens and, on occasion, use an area. Atkinson’s decision to spread the zone late against the Thunder paid off. The Cavaliers outscored the Thunder 26-20 in the fourth quarter after Okek led 43-41 in the third quarter.
However, the most promising aspect of the Cavaliers’ style of play is the versatility of their offense. Atkinson can use Allen and Mobley together, one at a time, or play small ball with Wade in the middle.
Playoffs are all about adjustments and matchups, so versatility is crucial. The Cleveland team reminded everyone of its existence. On a night where Mitchell didn’t shine, Cleveland thrived as a team.
Nate Ulrich can be reached at nu*****@th**************.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich.