Thunder Drowns Cavaliers' Rebounding with Turnover Generation

The Thunder's ability to create chaos defensively has been palpable in nearly every game this season. That was the case again versus the East-leading Cavaliers on Thursday night.

Jan 16, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA;Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kenrich Williams (34) defends Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) during the second quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

It's been realized about this Thunder team now 40 games into the season. It is a turnover-generating machine, and being so while greatly limiting its own turnovers more often than not.

As it's been a struggle for Oklahoma City to establish itself as a solid rebounding unit, its saving grace has been finding more offensive opportunities through live-ball turnovers and an emphasis on points off the break. The team excelled at getting out on the break a year ago, but now its coupling that with a wicked sense for creating opposition errors night in and night out.

Against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday night, surprisingly taking the game completely by the reigns and winning by 20, 134-114, Oklahoma City did so without its main rebounding source in Isaiah Hartenstein. And, of course, without Chet Holmgren as well.

Losing the rebound battle 39 to 49, that is typically one of the main metrics used to determine the outcome of a game. For this OKC team, you might as well throw it out the window. Losing the rebound battle hardly ever has a true correlation for who comes out on top thus far in this Thunder regular season, and it's due to the aforementioned reason.

Versus the Cavaliers, the Thunder overcame that again with how many turnovers it was able to generate, and subsequent scores off those turnovers. Forcing 12 turnovers in the first half and a staggering 21 turnovers in total on the night, Oklahoma City had a field day. Posting 21 points off the break with Cleveland relinquishing 30 total points off its 21 mistakes, it was something rebounding could not overcome.

With OKC knotting up the season series versus Cleveland 1-1, the team now sets its sights on the Dallas Mavericks in a back-to-back at 7:30 p.m. tonight in American Airlines Center.

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