OKC Thunder Fall to Cavs, Cause for Concern?
The Oklahoma City Thunder’s impressive 15-game winning streak comes to a halt against the Cleveland Cavaliers. What went wrong for the Thunder, and how will they bounce back? This episode breaks down the impact of missing key players like Chet Holmgren, Alex Caruso, and AJ Mitchell, and how their absence affected the Thunder’s defense and rebounding. Ryland Styles analyzes Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s performance, highlighting his uncharacteristic turnovers and the challenges posed by Cleveland’s defense. Discover how Jalen Williams shone for three quarters and the defensive struggles that plagued the Thunder, including their issues with zone defense.
Tune in for an in-depth analysis of the Thunder’s challenges and potential solutions as they aim to regain their winning form.
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49 Comments
Get ready for round 2 next Thursday. Cleveland got the thunder up out of here! Next
I mean really this loss comes down to Shai and his turnovers. I love Shai but tonight was one of his worst teach of turnovers and it lost us the game.
AC needs to get on the floor. I bet if it were the playoffs or these games were more meaningful he'd be playing. I do not like how Okc handles injuries. No one is ever "Probable, Questionable, Doubtful" on the injury report. You're either OUT or playing. That's not acceptable for an injury like his. Can he play or not? Is he 70%? 50%? 80%? This is his second time OUT this season for the same issue after bringing him back. Yet the way Okc reports injuries you'd think his previous returns he was 100%! But apparently not? Coach Mark said recently regarding his return and guys "playing hurt" "We're always going to be conservative in December when it comes to injuries." Well its not December anymore! We know he can "play hurt" as he's known for it. With Chet, AC, and A'jay out Thunder truly need all capable hands on deck. Including one of them IF possible. Dude don't look too pained as he sits up and down on the sideline with ease. Whats frustrating is to get no updates, no progress reports. One day AC will just be cleared to play. You never know when! Never "Probable, Questionable, Doubtful." Where EXACTLY does he have to be to play basketball? 75%? 60%? 85%? A game time decision? With Okc players you just never know!
I feel like SGA takes to many bad shots instead of trusting his teammates I kno he’s our best player but when he consistently takes bad shots it puts in a a hole
Cleveland has not been beaten by any Western Conference team so far. It was a great game even though I really wanted to win. We were missing Chet, Ajay and Caruso and they are real impact players for the Thunder. We did foul too much. But I think they are tired from such a strong schedule these past weeks. I know its not a legit excuse but it is real. Cleveland's fans were really charging them with energy. I hope we can return the favor next week when they are here.
We couldn't keep winning every game from now on. It's better to be beaten by the best offense in the league right now and play a good game, than to fall to a team we should beaten easily. Remember earlier this year when we lost to San Antonio while their 3 best players were hurt sitting in street clothes with the team on the bench? That was a sad wake-up call but we got better for it.
Honestly this game was super optimistic to see. Knowing that Chet and Caruso are out and even Ajay made this game satisfying to watch. It’s obvious other teams fans online either recognize Chet’s impact or have no idea about basketball other than what TikTok “teaches” them
This game was the perfect game to get Chet on the bench. I bet he is now itching to get back more than ever before now
I didn't see too much promotion of this high quality game by the NBA again. I saw media that was attached to Cleveland or OKC. I just didn't see much on national channels. Also, remembering what you said about basketball media comments not being as good as the NFL media for their teams. I heard one of ESPN'S courtside commentators say that OKC didn’t really have a long win streak because we lost the Emirates Cup. Another one did say you they don't count that one, rules are rules. It was disrespectable and unnecessary.
All 4 players you named for the Cavs have been having those types of games all season. They are 1 of the few teams who have the same type of depth the Thunder have. I like the Thunder and have since they moved from Seattle so i mean no disrespect but you all have been shutting down good teams all year. Mitchell scores 11 and the Cavs still scored 130. Look forward to next week and nothing more cuz nothing is promised. Still young teams and for once i think the top of the east is better than the west so it's no certainty Cavs make it to finals.
🦬🌩️🥶🔶🌩️🔶🥶🌩️🦬
THUNDER🆙
I have watched the NBA for almost 50 years so I'm very aware of the value of one game in an Eighty-two game season. You're not going to win them all for various reasons, but there are games such as tonight that give you the opportunity to look where you are at.
You are correct that this could have been completely different had Caruso and Ajay been available. I'm not going to talk about Chet because we don't know when he'll be back and how the trauma of the injury and time off will affect him. It feels a bit off to play the injury card coming off the longest winning streak in franchise history.
This game was basically a dead heat until that 2 minute stretch in the middle of the 4th quarter when we lost focus, either turning the ball over or taking bad shots. This isn't anything new when an opponent switches into a zone. Here's an idea, call time out. Don't wait until you've wasted 5 or 6 possessions in a back and forth game like this. It's one thing if you're nursing a nice lead, but it was the biggest factor tonight.
Something else. Cason is a streaky 3pt shooter, but something I've noticed since his one summer league is that it tends to be game to game. When he's on I wonder why we aren't creating more looks for him. You can't expect outlier performances if you don't look for them.
Cavs fan here. Zero cause for alarm in OKC. Like you said, they went wire to wire on the road against arguably the best team (besides them) in the league. All without key guys on the floor.
My first game watching SGA this year… and if that was an off night, this league is in serious trouble. What a talent!
OKC will definitely be a buyer at the deadline…it's time to give up some of that war chest!! Cam Johnson would be nice!!!! Also a stretch big wouldn't hurt!
The WEST is definitely MUCH deeper than the East in terms of quality teams…HOWEVER the EASTERN top 2/3 teams are LEGIT!!!!!
OKC will have a much more challenging playoff bracket than the CAVS! CAVS won't be challenged until the EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS when they play Boston or NY! The WEST is really tough…that 8th seed in round 1 and the 4th or 5th seed in round 2 will be VERY GOOD TEAMS!!
I’ve also never understood why players have stupid fouls while they’re in foul trouble. You can give up 2 points sometimes to not have to sit long stretches.
SGA and 3’s needs to stop almost entirely. He isn’t efficient and more importantly the defense can’t draw fouls and he can’t kick out to an open player who shoots it more efficiently.
Biggest concern…giving Caruso 20 million a year to come off the bench when he’s injured every year recently. If he’s in this game those outliers Vs cavs don’t happen.
Is anyone else wondering where Thunder post game media availability is for this Cavs game?
Im tired of seeing the Thunder play a team and the refs… geez. I mean cavs was in the bonus 9 min left in the 2nd qt. How does that make any sense. Why do Thunder have to fight theyre shots and cabs get free throws to stay in it smh
Cleveland is playing team basketball it’s not just give to your star player
Offense wins games defense wins championships
Expecting to win all 82 games is unrealistic. Why would losing a close game to one of the top 3 teams in the league be a cause for concern?
As a cavs fan and cleveland native that was a great game. It definitely lived up to the hype. Dort took mitchell out of his game, but in doing so, it also took him out of it offensively
CAVS fan here, great game, see ya in OKC in 7 days it's adjustment time for both teams
Maybe when Chet's back, we can keep zcleveland from making 15 alley oops.
got to make that cam johnson trade! OKC is no where near where CLevland is. Imangine if Mitchell would have actually showed up they would have got blown out of the gym. The twin towers dominated all night it was like a dunk contest.
Based on the comments and this podcast episode, it is obvious that most here are unfamiliar with the Cavs roster, and how they actually play. An otherworldly performance by Mobley and Allen? They had only one factor working against them? Discountig what a healthy Isaac Okoro adds to the team? What Max Strus is like after more than 8 games. Pull up the 11/8 Cavs/Warriors game, and you will see what this roster is capableof…and that wasn't the complete roster! I'm not saying the Cavs will win the championship, but an accurate assessment of the team is better than mimicking the national pundits who say Donovan Mitchell is the only secret sauce for the Cavs winning record.
My biggest concern for this thunder team is not having that consistent and reliable play-off level shooter you can rely on to hit tough shots when the defense is laser-focussed. Chet helps when he's back, but I think Isiah Joe is showing he might not be ready
When we lose it stings so bad now lol
CAVS JUST A BETTER TEAM CHET NO CHET THEY LOSE STOP CRYING
WHEN CAVS WILL IN OKC WHAT U GONNA SAY ? CAVS #1 🎉
What a game!
Cavs are NICE. Their offensive execution is fluid, dynamic, and FAST. I was really impressed and also see ways that we can win round in 7 days.
My takeaway is how could you make a splash trade right now when u don't know what it looks like going forward? This is team is too good to mess with the MOJO they have going.
My biggest concern about OKC is that in a game like this, both fans and players are thinking, “Well, with Chet…”
I want a no-excuses mentality.
Another concern I have is the ball handling and playmaking of players like Lu Dort and Isaiah Joe.
I’d love to see that Dort can create a high percentage shot for himself when necessary. I think of him attacking close outs.
I think that Isaiah Joe attacking close outs could help his 3 point shot because teams seem to be getting to him fast enough so that his shot often looks rushed.
No cause for concern. We were down 3 key rotation guys while the Cavaliers were completely healthy, and we were on the road. Mitchell is key to running the 2nd unit and should be back Friday against the Knicks. I don't know about Cruz, but he might play, being that it's at MSG. Wallace and IHart did great. Chet should be back within a couple of weeks.
If anybody was concerned about this loss, I would call them a casual.
When is Chet set to possibly come back?
"Small ball era is over. Catch up NBA or witness Spurs part 2" -Cavs and Thunder probably
SGA has been having bad turnovers lately and it finally caught up to him them possessions where much needed. He has to be better.
This was a good game, maybe the best of the season so far. The players that could not play were out. Speculation on how the game could have gone if they were not out is a waste of time. We'll see how it goes when everyone is healthy.
And y’all better get use to playing without Chet. He’s had three seasons in the NBA and he’s missed basically 2 of them. He gonna be one of them players.
No credit to the Cavs? 5 min in and all I hear are excuses. Thunder are great and legit but Cavs are as well
Rarely do the Cavaliers have a single player consistently lead the team in scoring. They have the second best bench scoring in the NBA. Nearly every single game they have 5 to 7 players averaging double figures which makes them extremely difficult to beat. To say that Ty Jerome or Max Strus will not have a similar game in the future is absolutely wrong considering that many of the games that the Cavaliers won they have had a bench player lead the team in scoring. The Cavaliers balance and depth one through 10 makes them very difficult to guard. Yes, you can shut down one guy like Mitchell yet they still had seven guys and double figures. This is a consistent theme throughout their season and what makes them so dangerous.
What’s up Thunder Nation, Cavs fan here. This was the best game I have sat down and watched since game 6 2016 finals. Yall are a PROBLEM, and I damn sure hope we both can keep these squads together for a long time coming. We need a finals matchup! Nuggets have been my team in the west for years now but I damn sure think I’m gonna have to put some Thunder games on from now on.
I am convinced that the Cavs are the real deal. If they healthy they battling Boston on the ECF.
My biggest concern for me is our hot and cold shooting and if dubb will show up for big games like he did for the first three quarters against the Cavs.
You’ve made me realize that success is built on small, consistent actions. It’s a perfect reminder to keep moving forward, no matter what.