Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored a season-high 43 points and hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 32.6 seconds remaining, leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 117-112 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday night in Cleveland. The result opened a back-to-back set for the Thunder.
Gilgeous-Alexander took 35 shots, the most in the NBA during the first two weeks of the season, and made 14 of them. He was 11-of-12 from the free throw line in 38 minutes. The injury-depleted Thunder bounced back after two straight road losses by 20-plus points.
“He was putting a ton of pressure on their defense, and he had the look in his eye tonight, so we obviously rode him offensively,” OKC coach Mark Daigneault said of Gilgeous-Alexander. “It’s not our identity for 82 games, but there’s some nights when, like I said, you got a player like that that you got to just cut him loose, and he delivered in a big way.”
A tight finish
The fourth quarter featured eight ties and eight lead changes before Gilgeous-Alexander drilled his fourth 3-pointer of the night. Cleveland’s Sam Merrill then missed a perimeter shot from the corner. Ajay Mitchell made it a two-possession game by sinking two free throws with 15.4 seconds left.
Oklahoma City has been reeling since losing three starters to long-term injuries. Mitchell finished with 20 points for the Thunder, and Isaiah Hartenstein pulled down 14 rebounds.
Gilgeous-Alexander matched his highest-scoring total in 17 games against the Cavaliers.
Cavaliers respond
Rookie Meleek Thomas, making his first NBA start, and Donovan Mitchell each scored 17 points to lead Cleveland. Donovan Mitchell also dished out 11 assists, and Evan Mobley added 16 points.
The loss was the Cavaliers’ first at home in four games this season.
Thunder pull away at halftime
The first half produced 15 lead changes and two ties. Oklahoma City then went on a 16-6 run over the last five minutes of the second quarter, taking a 59-48 lead into halftime.
Gilgeous-Alexander made a pair of free throws to give the Thunder a 69-55 advantage with 9:26 remaining in the third quarter. Cleveland fought back by going 9-of-17 from beyond the arc in that period.
Cleveland opened the fourth quarter on an 18-9 run but could not sustain the momentum. The teams meet again on Wednesday in Oklahoma City.