CLEVELAND — The Cavaliers fell 136-104 to the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder on Jan. 19 in one of the biggest games on Cleveland’s regular-season schedule.
The Cavs (24-20) entered the Martin Luther King Jr. Day matchup fighting to make their way up the Eastern Conference standings. The Thunder (36-8), meanwhile, entered with the best record in the NBA by a pretty good margin and then bolstered it.
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The matchup was another marquee “measuring stick” game for the Cavs, a team trying to find its identity in an injury-riddled season.
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Here is how the Cavaliers-Thunder game unfolded through our updates at Rocket Arena:
Cavs lose 136-104 to Thunder
The Thunder finished 50-of-90 shooting (55.6%) from the field (23 of 47 on 3-pointers for 48.9%). The Cavs went 34-of-91 shooting (37.4%) from the floor (8 of 35 on 3s for 22.9%).
Guard Donovan Mitchell led the Cavs with 19 points, and wing Jaylon Tyson posted a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds, but the Thunder’s stars shined much brighter. Reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had a game-high 30 points, and OKC center Chet Holmgren finished with 28 points and eight rebounds.
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The Cavs were sloppy and disjointed on offense. They finished with 21 turnovers compared with 13 for OKC. The Cavs were outscored 23-8 in points off turnovers.
The Cavs are getting blown out by the Thunder 116-99 with 3:32 left in the fourth quarter
The Cavs trail the Thunder 116-199 with 3:32 left in the fourth quarter. The game never felt close in the second half.
The Cavs have been out of sorts on offense all day. Their 19 turnovers and 38.1 field-goal percentage at this late juncture reflects it.
Chet Holmgren pushes Thunder lead vs. Cavs to 102-84 with 9:40 left in the fourth quarter
Thunder center Chet Holmgren made two 3-pointers and a dunk in the first 2:20 of the fourth quarter to push OKC’s lead over the Cavs to 102-84. The Cavs called timeout with 9:40 left after Holmgren drained his second 3 of the quarter and third of the game.
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At this stage, Holmgren had 25 points on 10-of-13 shooting from the field (3 of 3 on 3s).
Cavs trail Thunder entering fourth quarter
The Cavs chipped away at the Thunder lead and momentarily had it under 10 points until an Aaron Wiggins corner 3 in the final minute, and OKC will take a 91-79 lead into the final quarter.
Just before the third-quarter buzzer, Donovan Mitchell made a pretty remarkable pass from below the rim to the corner, where Nae’Qwan Tomlin had an open 3, but he couldn’t hit it.
Despite Kenny Atkinson saying before the game that the Cavs offense can’t devolve into Cleveland just watching Donovan Mitchell play with the ball, this feels like a game in which the Cavaliers’ only chance is if Mitchell takes it over in the fourth quarter.
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The final few minutes of the third quarter also featured a highlight-reel block by Craig Porter Jr., who rejected the 7-foot-1 Chet Holmgren on a fast break for the Thunder, the result of a De’Andre Hunter turnover.
Thunder, Cavaliers score update
Even midway through the third quarter, this game has the feel of a 30-point blowout late in the fourth quarter, both teams just jogging back and forth. In reality, OKC leads 76-63 with 5:05 left in the third quarter.
Donovan Mitchell hasn’t done much following the announcement of his All-Star starter snub, scoring just seven points on 2-for-11 shooting from the floor.
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With Mitchell struggling and Darius Garland again sidelined, the Cavaliers offense has looked stagnant, which isn’t going to work against a team like OKC.
Cavs trail Thunder by 20 early in third quarter
The boo birds are again out in Cleveland, as the Cavaliers offense has come out flat and lethargic, and the Thunder are now up 74-54 with 8:08 left in the third quarter.
The Cavs have committed four bad turnovers within the first four minutes after the half, and the energy level seems to have been decreased despite the deficit.
Cleveland is shooting just 32 percent from the floor and 19 percent from 3-point range today, and the third-quarter offense has looked empty of any explosive potential.
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Thunder rule out Jaylin Williams, Alex Caruso for remainder of the game
At halftime, the Thunder announced that Jaylin Williams and Alex Caruso were both ruled out for the second half with injuries.
Caruso was 0-for-5 from the floor with one point in the first half. Williams hit two 3s in the first quarter and then was quiet in the second quarter.
Cavs trail Thunder 66-51 at halftime as Oklahoma City star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander dominates Cavaliers
Well, Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a reigning NBA Most Valuable Player for a reason.
You want analysis? Here it is: Gilgeous-Alexander is elite.
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The Cavs trailed the Thunder 66-51 at halftime partly because SGA torched Cleveland for 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the field in the first half.
Gilgeous-Alexander made a jump shot with 1:09 left in the second quarter. Then he blocked a shot by Cavs center Jarrett Allen and made a fast-break layup on the other end of the court with 54.4 seconds remaining before halftime.
Forward Evan Mobley led the Cavs with 10 points in the first half. But Cleveland’s offense struggled mightily in the second quarter, when the Cavs were outscored 34-24.
The shooting disparity between the two teams in the first half was startling.
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OKC went 24-of-45 shooting (53.3%) from the field (10 of 22 on 3-pointers for 45.5%). Cleveland went 17-of-48 shooting (35.4%) from the floor (4 of 18 on 3s for 22.2%).
Thunder guards Luguentz Dort and Isaiah Joe combined to shoot 7 of 8 on 3s in the first half, with Dort draining all three of his attempts and Joe making four of his five.
OKC Thunder lead Cavs 54-45 with 3:22 remaining in the second quarter
The Cavs were behind the Thunder 54-45 when OKC called timeout with 3:22 remaining in the second quarter. Thunder guard Alex Caruso was shaken up a moment earlier, but Caruso appeared to be intent on staying in the game. When play resumed after OKC’s timeout, Caruso was not on the floor.
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Caruso pushed OKC’s lead to 54-45 when he split a pair of free throws after Cavs forward Evan Mobley was called for a loose ball foul with 3:36 left in the first half.
Cavs trail Thunder 44-38 with 6:39 left in the second quarter
Thunder center Chet Holmgren made a layup and drew a foul from Cavs forward Evan Mobley with 9:07 left in the second quarter. Holmgren missed the subsequent foul shot, but the Thunder secured the rebound by scrambling for what became a loose ball. Then guard Luguentz Dort made a 3-pointer to give OKC a 41-31 cushion with 8:52 left.
The Cavs trailed by six points, though, when they called timeout with 6:39 remaining in the first half. Rookie guard Tyrese Proctor made a 3-pointer on an assist from guard Lonzo Ball with 7:18 left to trim Cleveland’s deficit to 44-38.
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Thunder lead Cavs after first quarter
The Thunder couldn’t sustain a scorching-hot start, but they’ll still take a 32-27 lead into the second quarter.
Evan Mobley leads the Cavs with eight points on a perfect 4-for-4 shooting from the floor. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has a game-high 10 points on 5-for-6 shooting.
The Cavs had five turnovers in that first quarter.
Jan 19, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) drives to the basket against Cleveland Cavaliers center Evan Mobley (4) during the first quarter at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
Thunder torching Cavaliers in first quarter
The Thunder offense is shredding the Cavs defense, and OKC leads 19-12 with 6:32 left in the first quarter.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander already has eight points, and the Hunder have hit eight of their first nine attempts. Evan Mobley and others walked off the floor following a timeout looking frustrated.
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Cavs, Thunder score
The Cavaliers and Thunder are off to a fast-paced start, with the Thunder up 15-10 only a few minutes into the game.
Donovan Mitchell had a potential and-1 taken off the board following a replay review, which reversed the call into an offensive foul.
The Thunder, meanwhile, have hit all of their first six attempts from the floor thus far, including two 3s from Jaylin Williams.
Below is some pregame information.
NBA All-Star starters announced. Is Cavs guard Donovan Mitchell a snub?
Cavs All-NBA guard Donovan Mitchell has been an NBA All-Star starter twice in his career, but it won’t happen this season.
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The All-Star starters were announced shortly before the Cavs and Thunder tipped off. In the Eastern Conference, the players chosen were Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks), Jaylen Brown (Boston Celtics), Jalen Brunson (New York Knicks), Cade Cunningham (Detroit Pistons) and Tyrese Maxey (Philadelphia 76ers).
Traded from the Utah Jazz to the Cavs in 2022, Mitchell was an All-Star starter in 2023 and 2025.
In the Western Conference, the All-Star starters are Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors), Luka Doncic (Los Angeles Lakers), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder), Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets) and Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs).
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All-Star reserves will be announced later this month, but the NBA has yet to specify a date.
NBA news: LeBron James’ streak of All-Star starts is over after two decades
Cavs vs Thunder injury report
The Cavs will be without All-Star guard Darius Garland, who will be sidelined for at least the next week with a Grade 1 sprain of his right big toe.
Cleveland will also be missing guard Sam Merrill (hand) and Max Strus (foot), who has yet to make his season debut. Forward Dean Wade (knee) was listed as probable to return, and the Cavs later announced he is available to face the Thunder by listing him as a starter.
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The Thunder are also banged up and have ruled out guard Jalen Williams (hamstring) and center Isaiah Hartenstein (calf).
Cavs starting lineup vs. Thunder
The Cavs announced they will start the following players:
Cavaliers unveil city edition uniforms
The Cavs unveiled their new City Edition uniforms Nov. 11.
How can I watch/stream/listen to the Cavs vs Thunder game?
The Jan. 19 Cavs-Thunder game can be watched on NBC and Peacock. It can heard on the radio on 100.7 WMMS, 1100 WTAM and S: LA MEGA 1300.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cleveland Cavs score, recap, highlights today vs Oklahoma City Thunder