After Thumping Thunder In 129-122 Win, Cavaliers Remain NBA’s Undisputed Top Team

The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 129-122 on Wednesday, improving to 32-4 to maintain the best record in the NBA. The Thunder remain second best with a similarly dominant 30-6 record, but Cleveland came out on top in the rubber match between conference leaders.

In many ways, the game was a distillation of the exact play styles that have made both teams powerhouses in the 2024-25 season. The Thunder leaned heavily on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the MVP front-runner who delivered again in a 31-point performance. Forward Jalen Williams also came through with 25 points and nine assists. 

But while the Thunder, stocked to the brim with young talent, were as effective as ever on offense Wednesday, the team’s elite defense could not contain Cleveland. Instead of counting on one star, the Cavaliers were efficient from top to bottom, relying on seven different players to put up double-digit points totals. Star guards Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland performed well but took a back seat to forwards Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley. Allen scored 25 points with 11 rebounds, while Mobley scored 21 with 10.

While the Thunder appear to be next in a long line of traditional championship contenders, building around superstar Gilgeous-Alexander, the Cavaliers are unique in their surprise run to the top of the Eastern Conference. Instead of relying on a single playmaker, the team instead focuses on elite efficiency and playmaking ability from everyone on the floor.

To defeat a team like the Thunder, opponents must choose one of three approaches: try to contain Gilgeous-Alexander, isolate him from the rest of his team, or run the Thunder’s historically strong defense off the floor with lights-out shooting. All three options have proven immensely difficult this season, but Wednesday’s game proved that defeating the Cavaliers in their current iteration is even harder. 

There is no clear target on Cleveland’s offense, no obvious focal point. Trying to contain the team is like trying to plug too many holes in the side of a boat. The Thunder remain the best defense in the league, but the team was completely hapless for long stretches against the Cavaliers, who stunned them with one of the most well-rounded attacks in the NBA’s recent history. In a league dominated by selfish basketball, Cleveland has developed a many-headed monster.

Of course, many insiders speculate that the Cavaliers are still doomed to also-ran status when the postseason arrives. From a long-term perspective, the criticisms come easily. The team has too many moving pieces and is too dependent on shooting efficiency. It’s a house of cards. Players get hurt; players go cold. The Celtics and Thunder have more bankable superstars and stronger defenses. The Cavaliers will rack up wins now but won’t be able to sustain momentum in a series. 

Looking at it months in advance, all of it checks out. They’re all logical things to say. But no one wants to play Cleveland tomorrow, and the number of days until the postseason is rapidly receding with each and every victory.

Article by Patrick Moquin