The highly anticipated matchup between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Oklahoma City Thunder did not disappoint. The game, which featured 30 lead changes and 10 ties, was a back-and-forth battle that kept fans on the edge of their seats until the final buzzer.
The Cavaliers, led by Jarrett Allen with 25 points and Evan Mobley with 21, ended the Thunder’s impressive 15-game winning streak with a 129-122 victory. Despite a slow night from star player Donovan Mitchell, who scored just 11 points, Cleveland’s depth and balanced attack proved too much for Oklahoma City.
On the Thunder’s side, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander put up a valiant effort with 31 points, but it wasn’t enough to secure the win. Jalen Williams also contributed significantly with 25 points, showcasing the team’s resilience and depth.
In the game, neither side led by more than nine points at any moment, but the Cavaliers’ ability to capitalize on key moments, including a clutch shot by Mobley and an equally as clutch layup by Garland in the final minutes, ultimately sealed the victory.
With the game being the talk of town, here are some of NBA Twitter’s best reactions, with many saying that they’re already looking forward to a seven-game Finals series between the two teams.
Add Chet in the mix and I’d be perfectly fine with seven games of Cavs/OKC pic.twitter.com/fHPFoqdM1p
— Niko (@nikotaughtyou) January 9, 2025
We can all agree an OKC v Cavs finals would feed us NBA fans pic.twitter.com/GfYE7vB9JN
— OKC enthusiasts (@okcenthusiasts) January 9, 2025
This Okc Cavs game pic.twitter.com/hV6NLH5fTl
— GilgeousSzn⛈️ (@GilgeousSZN) January 9, 2025
Hot take: #1 OKC vs #1 Cavs makes for a better nationally televised game than #10 Warriors or #6 Lakers vs fill in the blank.
— Brandon Rahbar (@BrandonRahbar) January 9, 2025
OKC vs Cavs down to the 4th quarter pic.twitter.com/msDuRSkd36
— Russ’ TD ⚡ (@RussFcb) January 9, 2025
We need cavs vs okc finals man I’ve seen enough
— KEE⚡️ (@playoffskee) January 9, 2025
Thunder host the Cavs in OKC 8 days from now 🍿 https://t.co/smgaXBLvDs pic.twitter.com/cvni6X8VRV
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) January 9, 2025
This okc cavs game is actually crazy. Nba promotes a game for once and its a banger
— 𝖘𝖑𝖎𝖒 (@thuggagunner) January 9, 2025
me watchin OKC/Cavs go band for band pic.twitter.com/PRQ7KpTyFu
— Devin Walker (@Devin_Walker2) January 9, 2025