The Cleveland Cavaliers continued to roll Sunday, procuring their sixth consecutive win with a 108-98 statement victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The game lived up to its billing: star players going at one another, highlights galore and trash talking. Cleveland once again did it with defense, forcing the Thunder into shooting 39 percent from the field.
It was the fourth straight game that the Cavaliers have held their opponent to 42 percent shooting or lower.
On the other side of the ball, OKC (22-22) had no answer for LeBron James. He got to the hole at will. It didn’t matter who was guarding him, he bullied his way to the basket for layup after layup.
James scored 22 first-half points. After going scoreless in the third, he erupted for 12 points in the final 12 minutes — on 3-pointers and high-arching turnaround jumpers — to finish with 34 points, seven rebounds and five assists in 38 minutes.
The Thunder’s Kevin Durant did his best to keep his team afloat, putting up 17 of his 32 points in the first two quarters. He also grabbed six rebounds and dished out nine assists.
Durant and James matched up for large portions of the game.
Five minutes into the contest, former Cavaliers guard Dion Waiters checked in only to hear a shower of boos that was quite surprising. He didn’t seem too bothered by it.
Waiters hit his first shot, a 3-pointer at the top of the key. From there, he went 4-of-14 to end with 14 points in 32 minutes.
“It was a little weird walking in this building, but it’s just basketball,” Waiters said before the game.
Kyrie Irving and Russell Westbrook battled one another to the fullest. Each had his moments. Irving had 21 points (9-of-21) and six assists, while Westbrook needed 26 shots (making seven) to manage 19 points with nine rebounds and 11 assists.
Kevin Love provided 19 points and 13 rebounds for the Cavs.
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