Thunder Unleash Cavaliers 134-114 – Fear the Sword

The Cleveland Cavaliers had to eat a piece of humble pie for the first time this season. Most games, even in losses, the Cavaliers made a respectable comeback. Against the Thunder, this game was simply never within reach. The Thunder completely outperformed the Cavaliers in practically any metric you’d choose.

The Thunder were a defensive juggernaut even without Isaiah Hartenstein. The clamps were suffocating for every player on the Cavaliers throughout the game. Jarret Allen and Evan Mobley were ready to play a great game. In their previous game, the tandem had a great outing, without Hartenstein one would have assumed they would put up numbers. It simply didn’t happen.

Mobley had his worst outing of the season. The thunder choked him, every time Mobley was on the ball you could see bodies draped over him and the panic in his eyes. It was a return to the lowlights of Mobley’s previous seasons. The indecisiveness he displayed was reminiscent of what drew criticism for Mobley’s lack of development. Mobley scored 5 points on 2-7 shooting.

Mobley, Allen and the rest of the team were enveloped by the Thunder players and were outmatched. The Thunder came out with a level of aggression and tenacity that drained the life and will out of the Cavaliers’ offense. They got hit in the mouth in the first quarter early. After leading the game 12-10 at the 6:08 mark in the first, the Thunder went on to close the quarter on a 22-2 run. From that point on, the game was never in doubt.

This is a game where you give more praise to the Thunder than give more criticism to the Cavaliers. While yes, this was embarrassing, this was a Thunder team inspired by their loss to the Cavaliers last week. Both teams are excellent and games like this happen. The conclusions will be dramatic and catastrophic, but they shouldn’t be. However, it happens when you are smoked in prime time and the lights are bright.