Today marks another historic battle between the top teams in the East and West, with the Thunder and Cavaliers facing off for the second time. The last time they met, the Cavaliers narrowly won at home, but this time it was on the Thunder's turf. In the end, the Thunder emerged victorious with a decisive 134-114 win over the Cavaliers. It's worth noting that the Thunder and Cavaliers are now tied for first place in the league, both with a record of 34 wins and 6 losses. This game truly highlighted the difference between the two main players, Alexander and Mitchell. In their previous matchup, Alexander had outperformed Mitchell, although the Cavaliers' twin towers were stronger.
Today, Harten was absent from the game, and Holmgren continued to recover from his injury. Theoretically, the Cavaliers should have had the upper hand, as their frontcourt completely dominated the Thunder. With Jalin elevated to the center position at just 2.06 meters tall, and the power forward still being Jiewei at 1.96 meters, the Thunder were clearly at a disadvantage in the first quarter. The Cavaliers took advantage of the Thunder's lack of height in the paint, with Allen scoring repeatedly inside and Mitchell hitting a three-pointer to take an early 12-10 lead.
However, the Thunder decided to go all-in, benching their tallest player, Jalin, and starting Jiewei at center to play an extreme small-ball lineup. Alexander went on a rampage, driving to the basket, hitting threes, and nailing mid-range shots. The Thunder abandoned their center and played a fast-paced style, resulting in a 22-2 scoring run in the first quarter, giving them an 18-point lead. In the second quarter, the Thunder continued with their resolute small-ball strategy, accelerating like they had wheels under their feet, and the lead grew to over 20 points. The Cavaliers tried hard, with Mobley consistently attacking the paint, but the Thunder's shooting was too explosive, and with Alexander unstoppable, they led by 26 points at halftime.
On the Cavaliers' side, Mitchell continued to struggle with his shooting, going 2 for 12 in the first half, while Alexander scored 26 points. In the second half, the Cavaliers did improve their defense, but they had no answer for the unstoppable Alexander. The lead ballooned to over 40 points, forcing the Cavaliers to surrender. In the final quarter, the Cavaliers managed to outscore the Thunder 33-15, but the 20-point loss was still a testament to the Thunder's mercy. For the game, Mitchell shot 3 for 15, Mobley shot 2 for 7, and Allen shot a perfect 6 for 6, scoring 13 points and grabbing 7 rebounds, with most of his points coming in the first quarter, but he couldn't finish off the game.
For the Thunder, Alexander shot 17 for 26, with only 5 free throws, scoring 40 points and dishing out 8 assists. Jiewei stepped up in the paint, scoring 19 points, grabbing 6 rebounds, and adding 5 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks. Dort was the most accurate shooter from outside for the Thunder, hitting 6 of 9 threes to score 22 points. With the Rockets losing to the Kings today, ending their five-game winning streak, the Thunder's four-game winning streak is now the longest in the league. The last time the Thunder lost to the Cavaliers, their winning streak was halted, but this time they're setting sail again, aiming to solidify their position at the top of the league.
It's undeniable that the Thunder are truly rising, and this achievement must be credited to the Clippers. If the Clippers hadn't traded Alexander for Paul George, there wouldn't be such a formidable Thunder. Alexander's current performance makes him worth more than ten Georges. For the next decade or even longer, whenever the Clippers mention this trade, they will feel a twinge of regret. They may never find another cornerstone scorer like Alexander.
It's reminiscent of when the Thunder let Harden go for a few million dollars, leading to the disintegration of the strongest trio in Thunder history. Just like Harden, Alexander also showed signs of becoming a superstar while still with his original team, but was ultimately traded away. He continued to grow and became a superstar with his new team. It's clear that Alexander, who is averaging 31.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 6 assists with a 53.1% shooting percentage this season, is already a superstar. Under his leadership, the league's landscape is changing, and now we're entering the Thunder era.