OKC Thunder Losing Streak Snapped, Drops Anticipated Matchup to Cleveland

In a clash of the two best records in the NBA, the Eastern Conference prevailed and the Thunder dropped its first game in nearly 40 days.

Jan 8, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) goes for a rebound against Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein (55) during the first quarter at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

The Oklahoma City Thunder clashed with the top-ranked team in the Eastern Conference the Cleveland Cavaliers. The battle between two of the NBA's best delivered in every way, totaling 30 lead changes. It resulted in the Cavaliers walking away with a 129-122 victory, snapping OKC's 15-game winning streak.

Despite trailing at halftime, OKC's defense was sound in the first half. That intensity kept up all game, which would be crucial in staying attached to Cleveland. OKC allowed only four points to be scored by Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell, all on 1-for-8 shooting. The Thunder also forced eight turnovers while committing seven. Mitchell only finished with 11 but hit some clutch shots down the stretch.

Shutting down and selling out to stop Mitchell allowed the Cavaliers to get going in the paint. Center Jarrett Allen finished the first half with 15 points and ended with 25, while forward Evan Mobley scored 12 first-half points and finished with 21.

Even with center Isaiah Hartenstein available to protect the rim, defending the paint proved to be a challenge. Containing Mobley and Allen, so far, is a feat not many teams across the league have managed to complete, including OKC. Hartenstein's impact was not primarily on defense, finishing the evening with 18 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists, nearly completing the triple-double feat.

On the flip side, Oklahoma City guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander did what he usually does. He finished the evening with 31 points on 13-for-27 shooting, proving why he's an MVP candidate on both sides of the ball. His sidekick, guard Jalen Williams, was also impactful, finishing with 25 on the night.

After a close first half, the second took a turn when Darius Garland drove on Gilgeous-Alexander, finishing a layup and simultaneously handing the Thunder star his fourth foul. It allowed the Cavaliers to not only attack Gilgeous-Alexander but also make him play more conservatively.

Garland came to life in the second half, as did the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, garnering momentum after a block on defense and a corner triple from sharpshooter Max Strus gave Cleveland an 87-81 lead late in the third quarter. That momentum was shut down quickly by OKC, starting a back-and-forth battle for the rest of the game. Garland finished with 18 on the game but Allen and Mobley led the way in that department.

The bench was a helpful touch for the Thunder, with Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins reaching eight and 11 scoring totals. Joe is still struggling from the perimeter, but despite the 2-for-6 shooting performance, he was still impactful.

The first-half defense of both teams was impressive but the story in the second was completely different. The guard play from both teams scored at an elite level from both the perimeter and inside the arc. For Cleveland, its bench production carried the load in the third. Caris LeVert and Max Strus scored 8 and 17 in the entirety of the game., totaling four made triples in the third quarter. Guard Ty Jerome also finished with 15 points off the bench, only missing one shot in his 12 minutes of play.

That back-and-forth battle continued down the stretch of the fourth quarter, delivering on the promise of one of the most anticipated games of the regular season so far. The Thunder got its deficit down to 124-122 with a minute and a half to play but struggled to get possession back because of Allen and Mobley's dominant rebounding. The two earned their team three extra possessions in the late stages of the game with a three-point lead after a one-for-two trip to the free throw line by Allen.

A decisive and successful challenge in favor of the Cavaliers extended that run of possession, giving them the ball with 1:19 to play. Back-to-back scores from Mobley and Garland increased Cleveland's lead from three to seven, putting the Thunder away and snapping the win streak.

After its first loss in 22 days, the Thunder travel to New York to take on the Knicks at 6:30 p.m. ET on Friday, Jan. 8.

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