Starts 5, Jan. 8: Tonight: Cavs-Thunder, a unique matchup

On By Littum

On the threshold of one of the most anticipated games of the season — tonight’s historic clash between West-leading OKC and East-leading Cleveland (7 ET, ESPN) — Trae Young sank one of the shots of the season.

5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION
8 January 2025

Hoops World Buzzing: Hear from voices around the NBA in tonight’s Cavs-Thunder game

The way here: How the Thunder & Cavs got to this epic matchup

What to look for: The players, matchups and stats you need to know before you bet

Wemby vs. Giannis: Two of the most uniquely gifted players in the NBA meet tonight

Roundup Tuesday: Trae from halfcourt, Mavs snap two losing streaks, Ant stays hot

BUT FIRST…
What makes the evening never seen before?

For over 78 years in NBA basketball, there has never been an NBA game like the one set to unfold tonight in Cleveland (7 ET, ESPN).

no. 1 vs. no. 1: The West-leading Thunder (30-5, 15 straight wins) visiting the East-leading Cavs (31-4, 10 straight wins) is more than a clash of conference leaders.

Never has an east vs. west game this late in the season had a higher combined winning percentage (.871).

Never have a team on a 15-game winning streak and a team on a 10-game winning streak meet in an NBA game.

Over 66,600 total regular season games in league history, that has never happened.

Until tonight.

1. NBA WORLD SUMMER AHEAD HISTORIC MATCHUP

The conversation started on Sunday afternoon as the Thunder shut down Boston in the 2nd half to overcome a 13-point deficit and win their 15th straight game.

As OKC’s game wrapped up, Cleveland’s game in Charlotte tipped. The Cavs opened the 2nd quarter on a 26-4 run to pull away and cruise to their 10th straight win.

With both streaks still alive, the matchup the NBA world has been waiting for was set: 30-5 Thunder vs. 31-4 Cavs in Cleveland on Wednesday night.

The buzz only picked up speed from there, as both teams had two days off to prepare for the game and discuss the historic matchup as the hype continued to grow.

Press what the voices around the NBA says about this first game of its kind.

The buzzer lit up social media feeds too, spreading the word about a must-see matchup.


2. THUNDER AT CAVS: HOW WE GET HERE

The Thunder and the Cavs haven’t lost a regular season game in a month plus – OKC’s last loss came Dec. 1 at Houston, while Cleveland’s came Dec. 8 at Miami.

  • Cleveland: The Cavs are the 8th team in NBA history to start a season 31-4 or better, with four of the previous seven going on to win the NBA Finals
  • The Cavs is 4th team in NBA history to win 10 straight games by 10+ points, joining the 2007-08 Rockets, 2003-04 Nets and 1946-47 Capitols
  • Cleveland averages 125.2 ppg, while allowing 108.6 ppg during their 10-game hitting streak for a league-best 16.6 point differential during that time
  • Oklahoma City: The Thunder have won a franchise-record 15 straight games, breaking the OKC-era (12) and Seattle-era (14) records during that stretch
  • OKC is average 116.6 pages, while allowing just 101.6 ppg during that streak. They’ve also increased their points off the turnover from a league-leading 23.3 for the entire season to 26.9 during the streak
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (33.1 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 5.6 apg, 54.9 FG%) joins Steph Curry (2015, MVP), James Harden (2018, MVP) and Michael Jordan (1996, MVP) as the only other guards to average 30+ ppg. 15-game winning streak

The story of tonight’s matchup goes beyond winning streaks.

  • This game marks the third time ever that teams with a combined .850+ winning percentage have met this late in the season – and the first time as an East-West matchup.
  • Since East/West conferences was formed in 1970-71, it is the first time two teams have matched each other while going 10-0 or better against the opposing conference
  • Only two teams in NBA history have won more than 70 games – the 2015-16 Warriors (73) and the 1995-96 Bulls (72). Both the Thunder (70) and Cavs (72) are on pace to reach 70+ wins this season

3. KEY PLAYERS, MATCHUPS AND STATS IN THIS CLASH OF TITANS

Together with two burning hot teams facing off, tonight’s game serves as the ultimate test for these two conference leaders as the regular season nears its midpoint.

Best vs Best: The Cavs’ top-ranked offense is about to face the Thunder’s top-ranked defense.

  • The Cavs owns the league’s best offensive rating of 121.3 while scoring 122.5 ppg this season on historic 50.4 FG% and 40.4 3P% shooting splits. No team has ever shot 50/40 splits in a season
  • Thunder owns the league’s best defensive rating at 102.7 and has only allowed their opponents to score 122+ points three times this season. OKC is also holding opponents to the lowest FG% and 3P% in the NBA this season
  • OKC (+12.1) and Cleveland (+11.8) ranks first and second in point differential and on pace to join the 1971-72 Lakers and Bucks as the only teams to finish with a plus-11 or better point differential in the same season

The All-Star Guards lead the way: Both the Thunder and Cavs are led by guards with multiple All-Star appearances – OKC’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell.

  • SGA (31.3 ppg, 6.1 apg, 52.4 FG%) averaged 30+ ppg and 5+ apg on 50%+ shooting for third consecutive year, looking to join Giannis (3) and Jordan (5) as the only players in NBA history with three such seasons
  • Mitchell (23.3 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 4.6 apg, 3.8 3pg) is as consistent as they come, averaging 20+ ppg for eighth straight season to start his career
  • Of all players to enter the NBA since 2000, Mitchell would be the fifth to average 20+ in each of the first eight seasons of his career, joining LeBron James (22), Kevin Durant (17), Carmelo Anthony (14) and Joel Embiid (9) )

Don’t forget the supporting cast: It takes contributions from up and down the roster to win night in and night out, as these two teams have done all season.

  • Cavs balance sheet: There have been five games this season in which the Cavs have had four different players score 20+ points, the most in the NBA and one shy of the most in a season since 2000-01
  • The Newcomer: OKC added Isaiah Hartenstein in the offseason, and since entering the lineup on Nov. 20 after missing the first month of the season with a broken hand, the Thunder have gone 18-1
  • Mobley’s Breakout: Fourth-year center Evan Mobley is averaging a career-best 18.8 ppg and is one of 15 players this season to contest 200+ shots at the rim. Of this group, his 56.5% allowed is the seventh best mark
  • All-Star J-Dub? Jalen Williams had his breakout season in 2023-24 and has continued to elevate his game, averaging career bests in points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks and 3s

Points Off Turnovers & Rim Protection: Both teams excel at taking advantage of their opponents’ mistakes and taking easy shots from the basket.

  • The Thunder (23.3 ppg) and Cavs (20.4 ppg) first and second in points off turnovers, with OKC owning the highest average since the NBA began tracking this statistic in 1997-98
  • The Thunder (58.9%) and Cavs (60.8%) hold the two lowest opponent FG% on shots contested at the rim this season

4. GIANNIS vs. WEMBY CAPS OFF ESPN DOUBLEHEADER

One gets the nickname the greek freak. The other has adopted The Alien.

Both represent a being it is part of the extraordinary – which accurately describes both Giannis Antetokounmpo and Victor Wembanyama.

Two players who routinely forcing fans to do double takes to see exactly how they pulled off their latest feat of amazing athleticism.

Before Giannis and Wemby meet tonight (9:30 a.m. ET, ESPN) for only the second time ever, here are a few examples of them showing off their unique skills.

Giannis with the block on defense, then sprints out on the fast break, uses two dribbles and two massive steps to get to the hoop for an and-1 and closes it out with a flex.

Wemby catches the pass in transition and comes from the 3-point line to the rim for an effortless layup without a single dribble.

Good luck stopping the 6-foot-11, 243-pound locomotive named Giannis charging up the hoop, only to watch him gracefully break out a Eurostep to the finish.

How many 7-foot-3 players are nimble enough at their size 20+ feet to execute this spin, pivot and hook shot in the lane against a double team?

In addition to the ESPN doubleheader, tonight features six games on NBA League Pass, including the Pistons going for their first five-game winning streak since 2019 when they visit the Nets in Brooklyn (7:30 ET).

5. TRAE’S HALFCOURT GAME WINNER, MAV’S SNAP STREAK, MYRE HOLDER COOKIN’

Hawks 124, Jazz 121: In addition to spraying the game-winner buzzer beater from 49 feetTrae Young (24 pts, 20 ast) also had his third 20/20 game of the season – tied for second most 20/20 games in a season behind Isiah Thomas’ five in 1984-85. | Recap

Rockets 135, Wizards 112: Jalen Green had 22 points and six 3s in the 3rd quarter as the Rockets pulled away. Green finished with a game-high 29, while Alperen Sengun (26 pts, 10 ast), Amen Thompson (20 pts, 15 reb) and Fred VanVleet (19 pts, 12 ast) added double-doubles. | Recap

Hornets 115, Suns 104: LaMelo Ball stuffed the stat sheet (32 pts, 10 reb, 7 ast, 4 stl, 5 3pm) – a stat line only James Harden, Luka Dončić, Nikola Vučević and DeMarcus Cousins ​​have reached in NBA history – as the Hornets defeated Suns to snap a 10 game losing streak. | Recap

Timberwolves 104, Pelicans 97: Zion Williamson’s return wasn’t enough to cool things down Anthony Edwards (32 points, 7 p.m.)who has 122 points and 23 triples in his last three games. Zion scored 22 points — two coming on the 360 ​​windmill dunk below — in his first game in two months. | Recap

Celtics 118, Nuggets 106: Playing without Nikola Jokić (illness), the Nuggets tied the game at 93-93 with 8:32 left before the Celtics closed the game on a 25-13 run to secure their fourth win in the last five games. Jayson Tatum (29 pts, 6 ast) and Kristaps Porziņģis (25 pts, 11 reb) scored 54 points in the win. | Recap

Mavs 118, Lakers 97: Despite missing three starters, the Mavs defeated the Lakers behind a combined 45 points from Quentin Grimes and PJ Washington. Dallas snapped its five-game losing streak and a 10-game losing streak when it played without Luka and Kyrie. LeBron dropped two of his 18 points in the loss on the left windmill dunk below. | Recap

Heat 114, Warriors 98: Less than 24 hours removed from a disappointing 2OT loss in Sacramento, the Heat closed strong at bay, outscoring the Warriors 30-20 in the 4th with Nikola Jović scoring 11 of his 20 points in the final frame. Steph Curry had 31 points and eight 3s in the loss. | Recap