The Cavaliers head to Oklahoma City on Wednesday for the second and final matchup of the regular season, and Cleveland is looking for a response after Monday’s 117-112 loss at home. A win in OKC would give the Cavs some momentum heading into a crazy weekend.
Oklahoma City’s injury situation has completely reshaped this matchup. The Thunder entered the season as one of the co-favorites to win the 2026 NBA title, and they opened with four straight wins, including strong victories over San Antonio and Denver. But their season took a sharp turn in their third game against the LA Clippers, when Cason Wallace tore a labrum in his left shoulder and was ruled out until the end of the season.
That same night, Jalen Williams suffered a devastating injury in the fourth quarter, fracturing his left fibula and dislocating his ankle on a drive to the basket. Then Chet Holmgren was sidelined for 8-10 weeks with a small patellar tendon tear. Oklahoma City has had to absorb a brutal stretch of injuries to key pieces from its 2025 championship core.
Even so, the Thunder remain dangerous. They’ve shown they can still win big games without their full group, including against Cleveland in February last season and again on Monday. That puts even more on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the two-time reigning MVP, to carry the load.
SGA’s production has dipped to start the season, but he should come in with an aggressive mindset. He has not attempted more than eight free throws in a game yet this season, and after back-to-back blowout losses to Dallas and Houston, he’ll be looking to put his stamp on this one. He already dropped a season-high 43 points in Cleveland on Monday, doing it on 14-for-35 shooting, and at home he could also try to get his teammates involved earlier.
For Cleveland, the defensive plan starts on the perimeter. With Peyton Watson and Jaylon Tyson out, Sam Merrill and Meleek Thomas will have to do their part against Gilgeous-Alexander and make life as difficult as possible for the MVP.
The Cavs also need to be sharper on the defensive glass and with off-ball awareness. Oklahoma City’s second unit hurt Cleveland badly with backdoor cuts and passes from former Cav Isaiah Hartenstein, and rebounding became a major issue late in Monday’s loss.
Cleveland Cavaliers - James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Meleek Thomas, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen
Oklahoma City Thunder - Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Ajay Mitchell, Jared McCain, Kenrich Williams, Isaiah Hartenstein
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