Thunder Dominate Cavaliers In High-Scoring MLK Day Showdown

The Oklahoma City Thunder rolled into Rocket Arena on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, January 19, 2026, looking to defend their league-best 35-8 record against a Cleveland Cavaliers squad fighting to climb the Eastern Conference standings. With both teams battered by injuries and searching for signature wins, fans in Cleveland were treated to a high-octane, if sometimes lopsided, NBA showdown broadcast live on NBC and Peacock.

From the opening tip, the Thunder wasted no time asserting themselves. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning NBA Most Valuable Player, showed why he’s considered one of the league’s elite, torching the Cavaliers for 16 first-half points on 7-of-11 shooting. "You want analysis? Here it is: Gilgeous-Alexander is elite," one local reporter quipped, capturing the mood as SGA seemed to get whatever shot he wanted in the early going.

The Cavaliers, entering the contest at 24-19, were hampered by a slew of injuries. All-Star guard Darius Garland was sidelined with a toe sprain, while Sam Merrill (hand) and Max Strus (foot) also watched from the bench. Dean Wade, listed as probable with a knee contusion, was patched up and ready to go, joining Donovan Mitchell, Jaylon Tyson, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen in the starting five. The Thunder, meanwhile, were without Jalen Williams (hamstring), Isaiah Hartenstein (soleus strain), Nikola Topic (testicular surgery), Thomas Sorber (torn ACL), and had Brooks Barnhizer listed as doubtful. By halftime, the injury bug bit even harder, with Jaylin Williams and Alex Caruso both ruled out for the second half after picking up knocks in the first two quarters.

Despite the Cavaliers’ best efforts to keep pace, the Thunder’s offense was simply on another level. Oklahoma City shot a blistering 55.6% from the field (50-of-90) and an eye-popping 48.9% from beyond the arc (23-of-47), led by Gilgeous-Alexander’s 30 points and Chet Holmgren’s 28 points and eight rebounds. Holmgren, in particular, was a force in the paint and out on the perimeter, knocking down two three-pointers and throwing down a dunk in the first two minutes of the fourth quarter to stretch OKC’s lead to 102-84. The Cavaliers, meanwhile, struggled to find their rhythm, shooting just 37.4% from the floor (34-of-91) and a meager 22.9% on threes (8-of-35).

It wasn’t just the Thunder’s stars who shined. Luguentz Dort and Isaiah Joe combined to shoot a red-hot 7-of-8 on threes in the first half, with Dort draining all three of his attempts and Joe connecting on four of five. Even as the Cavs tried to chip away at the deficit—trimming the Thunder lead to single digits late in the third quarter—Aaron Wiggins calmly buried a corner three to push the lead back out, and OKC entered the final frame up 91-79.

Cleveland’s offense, described as “flat and lethargic” by local observers, never quite found its footing. Donovan Mitchell, fresh off learning he’d been snubbed as an All-Star starter for 2026, struggled mightily. After a promising start, he finished with just 19 points on inefficient shooting, going 2-for-11 in the third quarter. Jaylon Tyson, one of the Cavs’ few bright spots, posted a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Evan Mobley added 10 points in the first half and continued to battle in the paint against Holmgren and Jaylin Williams before Williams exited with injury.

Turnovers plagued the Cavaliers all afternoon, with the team coughing up the ball 19 times and finishing with a field-goal percentage that hovered around 38% late in the contest. The Thunder’s defense, anchored by Holmgren’s rim protection and the perimeter hustle of Dort and Wallace, kept Cleveland’s shooters off-balance and forced them into tough, contested looks. A highlight-reel block by Cavs guard Craig Porter Jr. on Holmgren in transition momentarily fired up the home crowd, but it wasn’t enough to shift the game’s momentum.

As the fourth quarter ticked away, the Thunder’s lead ballooned. With 3:32 left in regulation, Oklahoma City led 116-99, and the game felt well out of reach for the Cavaliers. The second half, by all accounts, was never truly competitive, with OKC’s hot shooting and disciplined ball movement keeping Cleveland at arm’s length. The Thunder finished the night with 23 threes, a testament to their modern, spread-the-floor approach and the shooting touch of their supporting cast.

Pregame, much of the talk in Cleveland centered around the Cavaliers’ new City Edition uniforms, unveiled in November, and the All-Star starter announcements that saw Mitchell left off the list despite his previous selections in 2023 and 2025. The Western Conference starters included Stephen Curry, Luka Doncic, Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, and Victor Wembanyama, while the East was represented by Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jaylen Brown, Jalen Brunson, Cade Cunningham, and Tyrese Maxey.

Looking ahead, the Thunder’s schedule doesn’t get any easier—they’ll face the Bucks in Milwaukee on January 21, followed by home games against the Pacers and Raptors. If their current form holds, Oklahoma City will continue to be the team to beat in the NBA, with Gilgeous-Alexander and Holmgren forming a dynamic inside-out duo that gives opposing defenses fits.

For the Cavaliers, the loss underscores the challenges of an injury-riddled campaign. With Garland, Merrill, and Strus all sidelined, and Mitchell struggling to carry the offensive load, Cleveland will need to regroup quickly if they hope to remain in playoff contention. The flashes of promise from Jaylon Tyson and Evan Mobley offer hope, but the Cavs’ margin for error is razor-thin in a crowded Eastern Conference.

As the final minutes ticked down and the Thunder’s lead held firm, fans in Rocket Arena could only watch as Oklahoma City sent a clear message to the rest of the league: this squad is for real, and they aren’t taking their foot off the gas anytime soon. With the NBA season heating up, both teams will be eager to get healthy and make their mark as the playoff race intensifies.