Gilgeous-Alexander’s Late Three Lifts Thunder Past Cavaliers
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 43 points and hit the go-ahead three-pointer as Oklahoma City beat Cleveland 117-112 in Cleveland on November 2.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s three-pointer with 32.6 seconds left put the Thunder ahead for good in a tightly contested game. He finished with a season-best 43 points, making 14 of 35 shots and 11 of 12 free throws in 38 minutes. Oklahoma City ended a two-game skid after losing each contest by more than 20 points.
The fourth quarter featured eight ties and eight changes of the lead. Cleveland’s Sam Merrill missed a corner attempt after Gilgeous-Alexander’s decisive shot, and Ajay Mitchell added two free throws with 15.4 seconds to play. Mitchell scored 20 points for Oklahoma City, while Isaiah Hartenstein collected 14 rebounds.
Cleveland rookie Meleek Thomas had 17 points in his first NBA start, matching Donovan Mitchell’s scoring total. Donovan Mitchell also recorded 11 assists, and Evan Mobley scored 16. The loss was Cleveland’s first at home this season after four wins there.
The teams traded the lead 15 times in the first half before Oklahoma City closed the second quarter with a 16-6 run to lead 59-48 at halftime. Cleveland rallied from a 14-point deficit in the third and opened the fourth with an 18-9 burst, but could not hold its momentum. The teams are scheduled to meet again in Oklahoma City on November 4.