The Cavaliers didn’t have much going for them against the Thunder, but James Harden kept them from slipping completely out of view.
Harden finished with 19 points, six assists, nine rebounds and two blocks, and he was the one Cavalier who consistently looked like he was trying to stitch together an offense while the game tilted away. Even when Cleveland was staring at double-digit deficits in the second and third quarters, Harden was the player doing the heavy lifting. He wasn’t the most efficient option on the floor, but he was the clearest spark in a night when too many Cavaliers couldn’t match Oklahoma City’s pace or energy.
Donovan Mitchell eventually turned the game into something more competitive, though it came far too late to change the shape of the night. He scored 27 points with three assists, five rebounds and two turnovers, and 17 of those points came in the final five minutes as he dragged Cleveland back within single digits.
The problem was timing. By the time Mitchell took over, the Cavaliers had already spent most of the game chasing.
His fourth-quarter burst was real, but it also underscored how long it took for him to become a factor.
Evan Mobley put up 16 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and three blocks, but the numbers didn’t match the role Cleveland needed from him with Jarrett Allen out for most of the game. Mobley never really settled into being a bigger offensive focal point. If the lane wasn’t open, he seemed to disappear from the action.
Allen’s night ended almost as soon as it started. He played seven minutes, grabbed one rebound and scored none before leaving with a lower leg injury after going knee-to-knee during a standard pick. He walked off under his own power, and head coach Kenny Atkinson didn’t have an update afterward on how serious it was.
Mario Hezonja was one of the few Cleveland players who brought some life to the floor. He posted 12 points and eight rebounds, and his perimeter defense plus activity away from the ball helped him carve out value in multiple ways. Sam Merrill added 10 points, seven rebounds and an assist, giving the Cavaliers useful work on the glass even without one of those huge shooting nights from deep.
Tyrese Proctor started with Jaylon Tyson and Peyton Watson out and finished with 11 points and one rebound. He shot it well enough, but he didn’t do enough elsewhere to really pop in the starting group.
Thomas Bryant’s night went the other direction. He scored eight points and had no rebounds or assists, but his shot selection from beyond the arc made for a rough viewing experience when the shots weren’t falling.
Meleek Thomas had nine points, one rebound and one steal, though it felt like a frustrating night for the rookie. The shot volume came off rushed, almost as if he was trying to force his way into rhythm.
Even so, he still brought energy in the lineups he played in. Tristan Enaruna also saw meaningful minutes and finished with four points, four rebounds and an assist.
He showed some solid decision-making with the ball, but the perimeter shot just wasn’t there, with plenty of threes bouncing out.
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