You have to beat the best to be the best, especially in a copycat league like the NBA. All teams are aiming for the crown, and as such, they've built their rosters to try to match up with the Oklahoma City Thunder's behemoth.
That's why falling to 0-2 in the season series with them might sound the alarms. That's especially the case when Mark Daigneault's team was down multiple key soldiers, including reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Nevertheless, as tough as Sunday's loss was, and as much as it should be a wake-up call for the remainder of the season, it's not time to panic. Odd things happen in this league, especially whenever a team is forced to shake up the lineup.
Cavaliers still have plenty to be proud of after Thunder loss
The Cavs got off to one of the worst starts in recent history, and even undermanned, the Thunder won't blow many 23-point leads. Even so, this team outscored the defending champions by 15 points when Kenny Atkinson got in his bag.
Rolling with Sam Merrill over Dean Wade to start the second half proved to be a master move. He got the Cavs' 3-point shooting stroke going, and while Wade is the better defender, he wasn't a good matchup against the Thunder, as he's usually out there for defensive purposes.
Keon Ellis continues to prove that he can be a massive factor on the defensive end of the floor. He's out there with active hands in passing lanes, and he even guarded Chet Holmgren during a couple of possessions. He's going to be a difference-maker in the playoffs, for sure.
The Cavs were undefeated in the James Harden era, but the Thunder rattled him and Donovan Mitchell with Lu Dort playing like a linebacker -- as usual -- and Cason Wallace running through screens. That's going to be a point of emphasis and something to look out for come playoff time.
Also, watching Jarrett Allen leave his newfound aggressiveness in the locker room and Evan Mobley grab just two rebounds was far from encouraging. If anything, it might be the only concerning team from this failed comeback attempt.
They just need to find ways to get the big men going early and often, and not all teams will have drop bigs as savvy as Isaiah Hartenstein or get the Thunder's whistle. Mobley and Allen need to be more active, but this may have been a fluke.
Whatever the case, Atkinson has plenty of depth and options to throw at the Thunder and contending teams. The Cavs' lineups need to remain fluid, with Merrill, Wade, Ellis, and (soon) Max Strus taking the floor depending on specific matchups.
At the end of the day, this was the Cavs' third game in four nights, so it may have been a bit of a schedule loss. There's still plenty of basketball to be played this season, and this team should continue to trend upward.