The Oklahoma City Thunder will head to Cleveland to take on the Cavaliers on Wednesday for a potential NBA Finals preview. Both teams are off to franchise-best starts and on 10-plus-game win streaks, which will all be on the line on Wednesday night. The game is the just the third matchup between two teams that have 30+ wins through their first 35 games according to Mikey McNuggete on D. The Cavs sit at 31-4, leading the Eastern Conference, while the Thunder are 30-5 atop the Western Conference.
Tomorrow’s #Cavs vs. #Thunder game is going to be absurd.
Two best teams in the league on national TV ? Sign me up.
Here are 8 of my favorite stats that highlight just how incredible this January matchup truly is:
— Mikey McNuggets (@MikeLucasTV) January 7, 2025
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Cavs and Thunder Records on the Line When Teams Clash
Win Streaks
Both the Cavs and Thunder are on 10-plus-game winning streaks heading into the game. The Thunder have won 15 straight heading into the game. Additionally, both sides have yet to lose against the opposing conference. The Thunder are 11-0 against the East, while the Cavs are 10-0 against the West. A Thunder win will mean they extend their win streak to 16 games, surpassing Cleveland’s mark of 15 straight to open the season.
Both teams are on pace to win 70+ games this season as well.
Offense Vs Defense
The Cavs and Thunder have opposing strengths. Cleveland is first in offensive rating at 121.3, while Oklahoma City is first in defensive rating at 102.7. The Cavs’ offensive rating is the second-highest mark in NBA history. Additionally, the teams rank first and second in net rating, 1.1 points ahead of the Celtics and 3.9 ahead of the fourth-place Grizzlies.
Despite their historically great offenses and defenses, both teams boast a top-10 rating on the other side of the floor. Both teams rank eighth in offensive rating and defensive rating, respectively.
X-Factor
Both teams have plenty of potential All-Stars who will impact the game at a high level. Donovan Mitchell and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are in the mix for the league MVP. Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 31.3 points, 6.1 assists, and 5.6 rebounds on 52/36/89 shooting splits. Mitchell is averaging 23.3 points while shooting a career-best 41.3% from beyond the arc.
However, each team has an X-factor that has helped their team reach another level. The Cavs are 25-1 with Dean Wade in the lineup this season. As well, Oklahoma City is 19-1 when Isaiah Hartenstein plays. Cleveland has a net rating of 15.07 when Wade is on the floor, including a defensive rating of 107.54 which would rank fourth in the league. With Hartenstein on the court, the Thunder have a 13.48 net rating and a 102.25 defensive rating.
Both players are expected to be in the lineup on Wednesday, which means something has to budge.
The Last Word
This matchup is one of the most anticipated NBA regular season games in recent memory. Two teams with an average win percentage of .871 is the second-highest win percentage this late in the season, trailing only the Warriors (40-4) vs Spurs (38-6) matchup in 2016. Golden State won 73 games, setting the wins record that season and San Antonio won 67. Both the Cavs and Thunder have a serious chance at setting the win record, especially with a win on Wednesday.
The best offense against the best defense. The two best teams in the NBA. Two small-market teams led by superstar guards. National TV. Primetime. This game will have it all.
Regardless of the outcome, both teams are historically great. The Cavs and Thunder both have records galore on the line Wednesday. Neither team can get too comfortable either as the teams will meet again on Thursday, Jan 16 in Oklahoma City.
The post Crazy Cavs and Thunder Records on the Line When Teams Clash appeared first on Last Word On Basketball.