Adam Williams presents his prediction for the NBA match.
The conference leaders meet once again. Not long ago, the Cleveland Cavaliers edged out a strong opponent on their home court (129:122), but now the teams move to Oklahoma, where the Thunder have been unbeaten at home for 10 consecutive games.
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder face this game with only one major absence, but it's significant. Their starting centre, Isaiah Hartenstein, picked up an injury in the last match. With no adequate replacement, the Thunder are likely to have defensive issues as Hartenstein was averaging about 12 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game. In this scenario, the hope lies with their offence. Fortunately, they are in superb shape there—averaging 116.2 points, with their leader Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in splendid form. In the last 10 matches, the Canadian has averaged 32 points and 5 assists, shooting 56% from the field.
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavaliers, meanwhile, rank second in the league for offensive output, averaging 122.3 points. They are also the best in the NBA for shooting accuracy (50.2%). However, there are weaknesses. Kenny Atkinson clearly needs to focus on defence. The Indiana Pacers put up 117 points against the Cavaliers in their last game, and prior to that, the Toronto Raptors scored 126, even though they averaged only 111 in the season. In both games, opponents shot over 40% from beyond the arc, highlighting defensive issues for the Cavaliers.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs Cleveland Cavaliers Prediction
In their last head-to-head encounter, the teams collectively scored over 250 points. Considering the situation the hosts are in, they will have to rely solely on offence, which clearly benefits the Cavaliers. It's evident there will be plenty of points—the only question is which team will outscore the other.
