Injuries mount for OKC as they face Cleveland. Can Dort and Wallace contain Mitchell, and will the Thunder dominate the boards to secure a vital win?
The Thunder blew a late lead against the Heat, and Jalen Williams suffered a hamstring injury of unknown severity to make matters worse. Oklahoma City needs to bounce back from the bad news by defeating the Cavaliers.
Williams and Isaiah Hartenstein are sidelined, while Darius Garland, Max Strus and Sam Merrill will miss the contest for the Cavaliers. Here are three key matchups to monitor.
Limiting Donovan Mitchell
Cleveland’s offense often struggles to create quality half-court shots when Darius Garland’s ball handling and playmaking are absent. Donovan Mitchell subsequently has a heavy burden in this matchup. He’s averaging 29.2 points per game this season on career highs in effective field goal percentage and true shooting percentage, so Mitchell is capable of erupting against Oklahoma City’s elite defense.
Luguentz Dort must have a strong defensive performance. Since the start of the 2024 season, Dort has guarded Mitchell for 161 possessions and held Mitchell to 13.5 points per 75 possessions on abysmal 41.5% true shooting.
Cason Wallace will also see time defending Mitchell when Dort takes a breather. If Wallace and Dort flex their defensive muscles, then Cleveland’s offense may be sluggish and riddled with heavily contested shots.
It’s worth noting that in two matchups against the Thunder last season, Mitchell scored a total of 19 points on 6-of-31 shooting from the field.
Defensive Rebounding
Miami grabbed 21 offensive rebounds in Oklahoma City’s last game, which is simply unacceptable. Isaiah Hartenstein is sorely missed on the glass, and now the team does not have Jalen Williams to help box out and grab contested rebounds.
Chet Holmgren, Jaylin Williams and Kenrich Williams need to dish out contact and fight for the basketball. Oklahoma City’s guards also must commit to boxing out and being aware of crashers.
Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen both average over two offensive rebounds per game, so they are the biggest threats to the Thunder.
Ajay Mitchell’s Playmaking
With Jalen Williams sidelined, the minutes without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander become even more unsteady and worrisome. Ajay Mitchell needs to step up as a lead scorer and playmaker. He’s having a phenomenal sophomore season, so the Thunder should be able to count on Mitchell to deliver.
It would definitely help if his teammates capitalize on his passing. Isaiah Joe, Aaron Wiggins and Luguentz Dort's three-point shooting are under the spotlight. The trio knocking down shots would also make life easier for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.