OKC Thunder Labored Against Cavaliers Zone Defense

The Oklahoma City Thunder fell to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday in a game that was won on adjustments. The Cavs went to a zone defense which gave the OKC Thunder fits.

Jan 8, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (8) shoots over the defense of Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) during the first quarter at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Up by one to start the fourth quarter, the Oklahoma City Thunder had done enough to not only hang in a game against one of the best teams in basketball but be in a position to knock off the Cleveland Cavaliers - handing the Cavs just its second loss in Cleveland.

Mark Daigneault switched up his rotational pattern, starting the final frame with superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on the floor with 12 minutes on the clock in the fourth quarter. A rarity for the Oklahoma City Thunder, but a predetermined plan earlier in the afternoon.

Cleveland made an adjustment of their own. In the final 12 minutes, the Cavs played zone defense for 12 half-court possessions, which completely muddied up the game in order to grind the Thunder's offense to a halt and earn a big win over the no. 1 seed out West.

In the fourth quarter, Oklahoma City had three turnovers and went 4-for-9 shooting against Cleveland's zone - a death knell to the Thunder's hopes of pulling off an upset.

Overall against half-court zone defense, the Thunder posted 0.756 points per possession compared to Oklahoma City's 1.137 points per possession against half-court man defense on Wednesday.

"Part of it was we couldn't stop 'em in, man, that was part of it. But it's also the idea is just get 'em out of their comfort zone, get 'em out of their pet play. They got two or three pet plays that are almost unstoppable with Shai and now it's different, now they got to lift the ball over their head, they got to run something different. They got to get the big to the middle. So not saying it was perfect, but I just think it was a good thing to get them out of the best things they do," Cavs Head Coach Kenny Atkinson explained the move to zone post-game.

Atkinson is correct, the Thunder could not run its normal offense against Cleveland's zone defense and it is a credit to how effective and disciplined the Cavs were in this zone. Of the four made shots, one was a jaw-dropping pivoting bucket by Jalen Williams to beat the shot clock at the 9:24 mark.

Oklahoma City shots against zone:

• Jalen Williams jaw-dropping prayer over Mobley
• Jalen Williams missed open 3-pointer
• Isaiah Hartenstein floater in the mid-paint
• Isaiah Hartenstein blocked by Jarrett Allen at the rim
• Isaiah Hartenstein missed a floater in a crowd at the mid-paint over Mobley
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander improvised floater at the rim off a pick-and-roll reset
• Lu Dort out of control drive and kicks to Cason Wallace, gets the ball back and drives to the paint for a Dort pull-up jumper over over Allen (missed)
• Isaiah Hartenstein floater over Allen
• Jalen Williams missed a contested 3-pointer from two steps behind the line.

It is clear to see, the Thunder did not get clean looks against the Cavs zone defense. Oklahoma City has to address this issue and make an adjustment before seeing Cleveland again next week.

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