Carried by their racquet, the Cavs start the match rather well. The observation is simple: OKC, smaller and less physical than his opponent, struggles against the interior sector of Cleveland. Suddenly, Darius Garland activates the manager mode and distributes the caviars. He makes his teammates play and everything goes well for him and his comrades. Opposite, it is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander who carries the attack of the Thunder. He is aggressive by the drive and allows his team to stay in the nails (24-22).
Why change the way you play when you shine so much on pick-and-roll? Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley take advantage of passes from Darius Garland to shine near the circle while Kevin Love or Lauri Markkanen take good shots from 3-pointers. Young Thunder players aren’t giving up, however. They rely on their enthusiasm to complete this first period. At the break, there is also only two points difference (47-45).
Back from the locker room, Garland takes the game on his own. No more assists, it is he who attacks the circle to score. Containing Garland is not easy and this last score 7 consecutive points to give his team a good lead (60-50).
It’s getting too complicated for the Thunder players. It is too difficult for them to contain the assaults of their opponents, who in addition to attacking well defend their basket rather well. Evan Mobley thus reaps the rebounds while Jarrett Allen, found by Darius Garland, misses few shots (76-60).
On the ropes, OKC can count on SGA. The latter takes his responsibilities in attack and brings his own to 10 points with only 12 minutes left (78-68).
Despite a little scare at the start of the quarter, Cleveland controls this last act. Darius Garland continues to manage the tempo of the meeting. It is he still in the “money time” who decides the purpose of the evening. Through the pass by finding Evan Mobley at 3-point and then scoring himself. A good victory from the Cavaliers who will simply have been worried at times by this great Thunder team.
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
– The injury of Lauri Markkanen. Hit in the ankle, the Finn left the match in the middle of the second act. Worrying when the Cavaliers are already deprived of Ricky Rubio and Rajon Rondo. Quite dependent on the drives of Darius Garland, the arm of Markkanen allowed the Cavaliers to have alternation in the game.
– A complicated month of January for Oklahoma City. This month of January has been complicated for the Thunder. Only two wins for them (Nets, Knicks). This evening, they showed great things, but the youth and the limits of their workforce did not allow this team to overcome a Cavaliers team which was not yet in a great evening. SGA is doing a lot for this team, but he’s going to need some support soon.
TOPS/FLOPS
✅ Darius Garland. He is the star of the Cavaliers. Tonight, in a duel against an equally talented young player, the Cavaliers’ playmaker delivered a very good match. First a passer, he then took matters into his own hands in the second half to help his team win tonight. 23 points and 11 assists for him.
✅ Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. SGA is a superb player and sometimes you wonder if his talent is not wasted by such a lack of support. Tonight, he will have been too alone against this Cavaliers team. As soon as he leaves the field, his team has no more solutions in attack. 29 points, 6 assists and 9 rebounds for SGA. But despite this line of stats, he could not prevent his team from losing for the fifth time in a row.
✅ Evan Mobley. Record game on the rebound for him, with 17 catches, but also 15 points. His presence in the racket alongside Jarrett Allen allows the Cavaliers to rely on a dominant interior sector. Able to shoot from afar or finish close to the circle, he is getting stronger and stronger.
⛔ Lugentz Dort. He must be one of the supporters of SGA. Tonight he played backwards. Sometimes too messy in attack, he missed his game. Only 10 points for him.
THE FOLLOWING
Cleveland (28-19): several days off for the Thunder who will play Wednesday against the Bulls
Oklahoma City (14-32): Monday, the Cavaliers receive New York.
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