The Cleveland Cavaliers continued their historic march through the NBA season with a hard-fought 129-122 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night, marking their 11th consecutive victory. In a clash of two title contenders, the Cavaliers’ depth and resilience proved decisive, even as franchise star Donovan Mitchell struggled with his shooting.
Despite Mitchell’s 3-for-16 performance, Cleveland leaned on its frontcourt tandem of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, who combined for 46 points and 22 rebounds, dominating the paint. Darius Garland, fully recovered from last season’s injury woes, added 18 points and 7 assists, including the game-sealing layup in the final seconds.
“This speaks to our growth,” Mitchell said. “As a unit, we don’t win this game last year. Everyone contributed—scoring, rebounding, defending. That’s a team win, and that’s what we need to be the team we want to become.”
The victory improved Cleveland’s record to 32-4, keeping them on pace to challenge the Golden State Warriors’ all-time best regular-season record of 73 wins from the 2015-16 campaign.
The highly anticipated matchup, featuring two teams already surpassing 30 wins this season, delivered on its promise. The game saw 30 lead changes and eight ties, with electrifying end-to-end action throughout. Both teams had the benefit of two days of rest and preparation, creating an “elevated” atmosphere reminiscent of playoff basketball.
“It’s like being in the NCAA tournament,” Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said of the energy in the building. “There was a buzz tonight that these young teams can use to grow as they gear up for deep postseason runs.”
For Cleveland, Mobley’s performance highlighted his continued ascension. The fourth-year big man stuffed the stat sheet with 21 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists, a steal, and a block. On the game’s pivotal possession, Mobley attacked Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein and scored a critical basket, putting the Cavaliers up by five with just over a minute remaining.
“They finally learned who Evan Mobley is,” Allen said. “He was doing everything—getting stops on defense, scoring big buckets on offense. They’re starting to see just how special he is.”
The Thunder, led by MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 31 points, fought valiantly but lacked the firepower to overcome Cleveland’s relentless interior dominance. Jalen Williams chipped in 25 points and 9 assists in a strong performance, but the absence of key players Chet Holmgren and Alex Caruso loomed large.
The loss marked the second high-profile defeat for Oklahoma City in recent weeks, following their NBA Cup final loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. Despite the setbacks, Gilgeous-Alexander remained philosophical.
“We’re human out there. Can’t be perfect,” he said. “Losing twice in a month and a half, I’ll take that no matter what stage the games are on.”
Cavaliers Look Ahead
For the Cavaliers, the victory further solidified their status as championship contenders. With their depth and chemistry clicking, the team exudes confidence heading into the second half of the season.
“It’s very clear we belong,” Mitchell said. “People might not believe it yet, but we do. We’ll keep proving it every night.”
As Cleveland inches closer to a historic season, performances like Wednesday night’s demonstrate their readiness to contend for the ultimate prize.
