Despite missing several top players, the Oklahoma City Thunder took down the Cleveland Cavaliers 121-113 on Sunday, snapping the Cavaliers' seven-game winning streak. They now have 44 wins, most in the NBA.
The Oklahoma City Thunder were impressive NBA champions a year ago, and they've got the most wins (44) in the league this year, too. Despite a slew of injuries, they continued to show off on Sunday, beating the red-hot Cleveland Cavaliers 121-113.
The Thunder have now swept the series with Cleveland this year, having won 136-104 on Jan. 19. These two were the top seeds in the 2025 NBA playoffs, and won very well meet again in the NBA Finals in June.
Cleveland had won seven straight games before Sunday, and five in a row since acquiring star guard James Harden from the Los Angeles Clippers at the trade deadline. But the Thunder outplayed them at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, despite being severely short-handed.
League MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and All-Star forward Jalen Williams didn't play Sunday, nor did rotation guys Alex Caruso and Ajay Mitchell. But Isaiah Joe had 22 points and Cason Wallace added 20 as the Thunder hit 21 three-pointers to get the win.
Here's the game story from Thunder Roundtable writer Nick Crain.
Oklahoma City jumped out to a 28-5 lead in the first quarter thanks to five three-pointers, including three from Joe, who's only started four games all year. Cleveland had 10 turnovers in the first quarter. The Thunder scored 31 points off turnovers in the win.
But Cleveland cut the lead to nine by halftime and three by the end of the third quarter. They took a lead late, but the Thunder pulled away in the final minutes.
“We got down in such a big hole, fought back, had a chance,” Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said. “But you can’t get off to a start like that on the road; turn the ball like that on the road.”
The Thunder have a three-game lead over the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference. They play five of their next six games on the road, and it starts with two big matchups against Eastern Conference playoff teams Toronto and Detroit.
The Pistons could be a potential NBA Finals opponent as well. They are 42-13 on the season, and have a slightly better winning percentage than the Thunder.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been out with an injury since Feb. 3 with an abdominal strain. He missed the final five games before the All-Star break, and the Thunder won only two of those games. They returned from the All-Star break on Friday and beat the Brooklyn Nets, 105-86.
Gilgeous-Alexander is scheduled to be evaluated again next week. The Thunder are also playing without Jalen Williams, who has missed time with a strained right hamstring.