Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored a season-high 43 points to lift the host Oklahoma City Thunder to a 128-120 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday.
The Thunder closed out their season-long six-game homestand with a 3-3 record, winning their final two games. Oklahoma City swept the two-game season series with the Cavaliers.
Gilgeous-Alexander came one point away from matching his career high in scoring.
The Thunder led by 14 early in the fourth quarter before Cleveland clawed back to pull within four, 108-104, just past the midway point of the fourth.
But the Cavs couldn’t get any closer and a few minutes later the Thunder reeled off eight consecutive points — including a 3-pointer by Gilgeous-Alexander and another by Jalen Williams that was assisted by Gilgeous-Alexander, who finished with seven rebounds and six assists.
Williams and Chet Holmgren each added 15 points and Luguentz Dort and Cason Wallace had 14 each as Oklahoma City shot 51.2 percent from the field.
Caris LeVert led the Cavs with 29 points off the bench while Evan Mobley added 22 and Donovan Mitchell 20.
Mitchell was just 1 of 9 from beyond the arc, however.
Cleveland shot 50.6 percent from the floor but just 73 percent at the free-throw line, making one fewer free throw than the Thunder despite attempting seven more.
After shooting nearly 11 free throws per game last season, Gilgeous-Alexander came in averaging just more than five through the early part of the season.
Against Cleveland, though, Gilgeous-Alexander attacked early and was rewarded, finishing 12 of 13 from the free-throw line. Gilgeous-Alexander hadn’t attempted more than nine free throws in any of his first six games of the season.
Gilgeous-Alexander scored 15 points in the first quarter as Oklahoma City built a lead with a 16-3 run. Holmgren kickstarted the stretch with a 3-pointer and a dunk.
The Thunder built the lead by taking advantage of Cavaliers turnovers, as Darius Garland had five of Cleveland’s nine first-quarter turnovers. Oklahoma City scored 17 points off those nine turnovers.
–Field Level Media
