Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder handed the Cleveland Cavaliers another disappointing loss on Monday night. However, the Thunder superstar’s impressive display made the victory even more memorable as he reached a significant career milestone.
Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 43 points, three rebounds, and eight assists in 38 minutes against the Cavaliers. The back-to-back MVP went 14-of-35 from the field, including four three-pointers, while making 11 of his 12 attempts from the free-throw line.
According to ESPN Insights, Gilgeous-Alexander recorded his seventh consecutive 30-point performance against Cleveland, tying Tracy McGrady’s streak from 2003 to 2006 for the longest such run against the Cavaliers in NBA history.
The Cavaliers failed to take advantage of Oklahoma City’s injury troubles, as the Thunder entered the matchup without several key contributors, including Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, and Cason Wallace.
Meanwhile, Cleveland received balanced offensive contributions from several players but ultimately could not complete its comeback attempt. Meleek Thomas led the Cavaliers with 17 points, five rebounds and one assist in his first NBA start, while Donovan Mitchell also recorded 17 points alongside 11 assists.
Evan Mobley contributed 16 points and seven rebounds. Meanwhile, James Harden and Jarrett Allen added 14 points apiece.
For Oklahoma City, the victory offered a much-needed response after suffering two consecutive losses by more than 20 points against the Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets. The Thunder improved their record to 5-2, while Cleveland fell to 4-3 after suffering its first home loss of the season.
The two teams will face each other again on Wednesday, with the rematch taking place in Oklahoma City. The Cavaliers will have an immediate opportunity to bounce back, while the Thunder will look to carry the momentum from Monday’s victory into their next meeting.