The Oklahoma City Thunder hit 21 3-pointers to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 121-113 on Sunday, ending the Cavaliers’ seven-game NBA winning streak.
Isaiah Joe scored 22 points and Carson Wallace added 20 points and 10 assists for the short-handed Thunder, which improved its Western Conference lead to 44-14 despite missing starters Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Ajay Mitchell and Alex Caruso.
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“It’s fun just getting the ball rolling,” said Wallace, who turned the ball over just once and excelled in the difficult task of guarding James Harden.
Wallace added after the game: “As soon as the game started, we tried to seize the opportunity from the beginning. I felt like we were out and we had a little momentum at the beginning of the game.” In this game, the Thunder scored the first nine points and led by 23 points in the first quarter.
The teams traded leads in the third quarter, but Oklahoma City took the lead in the fourth quarter and didn’t relinquish it.
“We had a lot of energy and struck the first punch in the game, which is very important for a team that has been playing well recently and has a lot of firepower,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said.
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“Seizing the game like we did early on is key.”
Seven Thunder players scored in double figures, including center Chet Holmgren who contributed 17 points and 15 rebounds.
Harden and Donovan Mitchell each scored 20 points for Cleveland. Harden, who was acquired by the Cavaliers from the Los Angeles Clippers on February 4, suffered his first loss with his new team after winning six consecutive games.
BB/MW