Game Recap 11/8/23 | Cavaliers Lose To OKC 128-120

Post-Game Recap

3 Key Factors Around the Loss

1 – Turnovers and pace of play

The Cavaliers on Wednesday decided to go up and down with the Thunder, and they could not keep up on the scoreboard, losing by eight.  The tempo also caused the Cavs to turn the ball over 20 times on the night. 

2 – Gilgeous-Alexander big night

Another difference in the game was Cleveland could not slow down Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as he had another big game for OKC, scoring 43 points on the night and outscoring the guards for the Cavaliers Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland, who combined for 35 points on the night. 

3 – LeVert 

Caris LeVert did have a good night off the bench for the Cavs, scoring 29 points, including 13 out of 16 from the free-throw line. 

Game Summary

On Wednesday night, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander showcased his scoring prowess, contributing 43 points as the Oklahoma City Thunder secured a 128-120 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Gilgeous-Alexander was in top form, sinking 15 of 22 field goals and 12 of 13 free throws. While he fell just one point short of his career high, it marked the eighth time he had achieved a 40-point performance. In addition to his scoring, he also displayed versatility by recording seven rebounds and six assists.

Supporting Gilgeous-Alexander’s impressive performance, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren each added 15 points for the Thunder, boosting their season record to 5-3.

The Cavaliers, on the other hand, saw Caris LeVert scoring 29 points and Evan Mobley contributing 22.

Notably, Donovan Mitchell, the NBA’s leading scorer with an average of 32.5 points per game, was held to 20 points, shooting 8-for-23. This was a stark contrast to his earlier 43-point performance in the first meeting between the teams, which resulted in a 108-105 victory for the Thunder on October 27 in Cleveland.

Gilgeous-Alexander’s first-half display was particularly outstanding, as he notched 23 points on an impressive 10-for-11 shooting without attempting a single 3-pointer. The Thunder shot a solid 55.3% from the field and made all 12 of their free throw attempts in the first two quarters. Meanwhile, the Cavaliers shot at a respectable 53.8% from the field but struggled at the free-throw line, making just 10 of 19 attempts in the first half.

In the third quarter, Gilgeous-Alexander continued to lead the charge, accumulating 15 more points and extending the Thunder’s lead to 99-87. Although he took a brief break at the start of the fourth quarter, he returned with the Thunder main

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