It's just the regular season, but there's plenty on the line for the Cleveland Cavaliers as they play host to the 30-5 Oklahoma City Thunder for a 7:00 pm Eastern Time matchup Wednesday night match.
Both the Cavs and OKC are young yet wildly talented franchises, leading their respective conferences in the standings. Cleveland holds a league-best 31-4 record with the Thunder just one game behind. Though the matchup was initially a local broadcast, ESPN flexed it into their national television schedule, putting more coverage and pressure on the night for each squad.
The Cavaliers are rarely a highlight for national TV since LeBron James' exit. Still, this season they have emerged as a premier Eastern Conference contender and have yet to fall to a Western Conference rival. Against the Thunder, Cleveland is in the position to prove themselves not only as a strong contender, but a win against the Thunder would put the Cavs firmly atop the NBA's standings as a title favorite.
Beating the top west team is always a terrific accomplishment, but overcoming this OKC squad is one of a kind. As MVP frontrunner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander comes to The Land, NBA fans are set to watch a historic contest.
Cavaliers and Thunder are historically great
The Cavs are on a 10-game winning streak, just five behind the Thunder's 15-game streak. It will be the first time in NBA history that franchises with these streaks go head-to-head.
With just one game between the two franchises, it's no surprise that they're also neck-and-neck statistically. The Cavaliers boast the league's top offensive rating (121.3) while the Thunder hold the best defensive rating (102.7) and net rating (12.1). The Cavs are just 0.6 behind in net rating, hold a close second place.
If the season ended before tip off, both Cleveland and OKC would set historical precedents with their net ratings, rivaling (and beating) some of the best Michael Jordan Chicago Bulls teams. With almost half the season concluded, maintaining this level of consistent production and domination is no small feat or accident.
The Cavaliers have become a well-oiled machine, moving the ball with intention and purpose on each possession. On each play, Cleveland orchestrates plays to generate high-quality shots either at the rim or behind the three-point line. With former Golden State Warrior associate head coach Kenny Atkinson the mastermind behind it all, the Cavs are lethally efficient on offense with a 59.5 effective field goal percentage - the best in NBA history.
The Thunder's defense forces plenty of turnovers. They average the most steals per game as a team with 11.8 per night. Conversely, the Cavaliers are tied for the best assist-to-turnover ratio in the NBA at 2.2. Cleveland takes care of the ball and constantly swings to the open man with an extra pass. Much of the night may be determined by which team can capitalize on this strength and minimize the other.
With the NBA's top offense and top defense facing off, a few stats could swing the entire trajectory of the night. Whether OKC can force Cleveland to turn it over or the Cavs can overpower the Thunder with their frontcourt strength and offensive star power will be two key factors to pay attention to from tip off to the final buzzer.
Cleveland's difference makers
If the Cavaliers hope to keep their win streak alive, they must push the Thunder to their limits by leaning into their best qualities rather than trying to hide their flaws. The league's greatest teams were never perfect, but they were more than capable of exploiting their opponent's weaknesses while maximizing their best qualities.
Dean Wade needs to step up
Although Atkinson offered a positive injury update on wing Isaac Okoro, the Cavaliers are still unlikely to have their best star killer available to shut down Gilgeous-Alexander. In his absence, Dean Wade will probably make another starting appearance. At 6-foot-9, Wade is a prototypical big 3-and-D wing. Defensively, Wade's lateral quickness and strength give him an advantage against almost any opponent.
Wade will likely draw the SGA assignment, as OKC's star big point guard is too dynamic and versatile for either Mitchell or Garland to handle all night. If Wade can keep his body in front of SGA and avoid the MVP hopeful's foul baiting, Cleveland can build a lot of momentum in their favor.
Alongside Gilgeous-Alexander, the Cavs combo forward will see plenty of action against Jalen Williams, the Thunder's second star. Williams presents a similar problem to SGA as a three-level scorer and solid ball handler. Though Mobley will handle most possessions against J Dub, Wade will certainly find himself switched onto Williams or assigned to him while Shai rests.
Offensively, Wade will have plenty of open shots as the Thunder suffocate the Cavs' stars. Playing with a level, confident head could give the Cleveland sharpshooter another unforgettable performance, similar to last season's long-range barrage against the Boston Celtics. This year, Atkinson has put more trust in Wade than he has ever had before, and Dean's response has been perfect. He is shooting 37 percent from deep and rarely passing up an open jumper.
Evan Mobley needs to be the best player
Oftentimes this season, Mobley has been the Cavs' best player. Mitchell has happily taken a backseat to Evan's offensive output, playing the role of distributor and disruptor. Spida's presence on the court has offensive gravity itself, forcing opponents to spread the floor more and give Mobley more space to utilize.
Whether Mobley is backing down his rival in the post, running past defenders after driving from the arc or knocking down a clutch three, Mobley needs to unlock his offensive firepower against the Thunder. To guarantee their 32nd dub, the emerging superstar must be arguably the best player on the hardwood.
The Cavaliers cannot afford for a bad night, honestly. Defensively, Mobley's intelligent shot blocking can give the Cavs plenty of transition takes. This season, he has often been the one to finish these transition plays, too, either as the ball handler or a cutter. The seven-foot star's speed and athleticism is going to be a key factor in Cleveland's offense, especially against another young hustling team such as OKC.
As the Oklahoma City Thunder enter Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, the Cleveland Cavaliers must have the focus of an NBA Finals game seven. While it is nothing more than a regular season game, overcoming the ultimate test this season has to offer could be a pivotal moment for their playoff preparation.