The Thunder didn’t just beat Cleveland again on Wednesday night. They got exactly what they needed from the kind of players who can change the shape of a season when the roster is banged up.
Oklahoma City finished off a second straight win over the Cavaliers, bouncing back after back-to-back losses before the meetings with Cleveland and giving itself a little stability again. The game at Paycom Center opened with the Thunder pushing out to a 20-plus-point lead right away, and even when the Cavaliers tried to chip away, Oklahoma City kept finding answers late.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was part of that closing stretch, but the bigger story was the rookie group. Aday Mara, the No. 12 pick, and Bennett Stirtz, the No. 16 pick, both made a real impact in heavy minutes.
Stirtz kept his offensive run going with 16 points on 4-for-7 shooting from 3-point range, and his recent stretch has made him look increasingly comfortable as a shooter. With so many injuries thinning out the roster, he’s also been asked to help as a secondary handler, and Wednesday brought a career-high in points and made threes.
Mara’s night was more about the stuff that doesn’t always jump off the box score. He made his first career start and spent much of the game making life miserable in the paint, finishing with three blocks and strong rim protection. Then he put the finishing touch on it with a put-back slam a little more than a minute from the end, part of a nine-point night on efficient shooting.
Oklahoma City closed with both rookies on the floor, leaning on SGA’s gravity to open things up for them. With the team short-handed, that kind of development matters.
The Cavaliers, meanwhile, dropped both games to the Thunder after having just been beaten by more than 40 by the Mavericks and Rockets. They looked flat in both matchups, and Oklahoma City took advantage of that edge in energy, especially with Alex Caruso back for the second game.
There was also a small but notable moment from Jared McCain, who had gone 16 straight 3-pointers without a make before finally breaking through during an Oklahoma City run early in the fourth quarter. He came off an Isaiah Hartenstein screen, got set, and drilled the shot for his ninth points of the game. McCain then raised both fists before getting back on defense.
With so many of the team’s perimeter shooters out for stretches, McCain is going to keep being asked to fill that role. On a night when the Thunder needed production from all over the roster, he gave them another piece of it.
In Other News...
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Is Earning Thunder Validation Far Beyond OKC
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander keeps collecting praise from the places that matter most, and the latest comes from a familiar national voice. Veteran NBA announcer Mike Breen recently highlighted the Thunder guards character, leadership and talent, framing him as the kind of player a franchise can build around while Oklahoma City continues to enjoy the glow of its 2025 championship run.
Breen also touched on one of the lingering debates around Gilgeous-Alexanders game, the kind of criticism that tends to follow elite scorers who live in the paint and draw plenty of contact. The conversation matters because Gilgeous-Alexander is now in his ninth NBA season, and as his profile keeps rising, so does the scrutiny over how he gets his points and what the league allows, even as the Thunder keep leaning on him as their standard bearer. [Read more 🡒]
Thunders Dalen Terry Move Says Everything About OKCs Injury Problem
The Thunder added Dalen Terry on a two-year deal as they try to patch together more wing and backcourt depth amid a run of injuries. The 24-year-old guard-forward has already bounced around the league, and Oklahoma City is bringing him in as a low-cost, flexible option while it waits for healthier bodies to return.
What makes the move stand out is how little downside there is for the Thunder. Terry can be folded into the roster now without forcing a long-term commitment, which fits a team that has had to stay nimble while managing absences. It is the kind of transaction that says as much about the current injury picture as it does about Terry himself. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Finally Get A Needed Injury Break Before Cavaliers Rematch
Alex Caruso is set to give the Thunder a boost in their next meeting with Cleveland, after being removed from the injury report and expected to return from the sprained ankle that kept him out for three games. Oklahoma City has already shown it can handle the Cavaliers in a tight game, and getting Caruso back adds another layer to a matchup that has quickly taken on some extra meaning for the defending West power.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been at the center of it, pouring in 43 points in the recent win and carrying a remarkable run against Cleveland that has seen him top 30 points in seven straight games. Another big night would move him past Tracy McGrady for the longest such streak against the Cavaliers, giving this rematch a little more individual history to go with the team stakes. [Read more 🡒]