The NBA had just a five-game schedule on Friday evening. In one game, the OKC Thunder hosted the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Thunder, who have been trending in the right direction for several weeks, won the game in a contest that was not close as time expired.
Thanks to a strong second half, the Thunder put up a double-digit margin of victory in the game, winning by 12 points. The final score was Cleveland 100, and OKC 112 as the Cavaliers continue to struggle on the road.
Cavaliers @ Thunder: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scores 35
The Thunder improved to 24-25 with the 12-point victory. The top scorer in the game was Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC's usual suspect for a top scorer. He had an impressive 35 points in the contest and led all starters for both teams on point differential at +14.
OKC Thunder: Recent Form Alert
- OKC Thunder were 11-18 (December 17th, 2022)
- Following Friday's game, they are 24-25
- The Thunder are 13-7 in their last 20 games
With the loss, the Cavaliers are now 30-21 overall on the season. They entered this week as the 6th-ranked team in our Top Ten NBA Power Rankings. However, they used to be much higher ranked than that. This is a team that's on the slide and an inability to win tough games on the road is one of their trademarks. They are now just 10-16 as a road team. They were without Donovan Mitchell on Friday as he struggles with a groin injury. However, Cleveland often has poor performances as visitors.
Cleveland Cavaliers: #6 Ranked Team at a Glance
- Overall record: 30-21
- Home record: 20-5
- Away record: 10-16
- Winning/losing streak: L1
- Last ten games: 4-6
Further reading: NBA Power Rankings
