OKC Thunder make a late comeback to take down the Cavaliers

The OKC Thunder got their first clutch win of the season with a thrilling comeback in Cleveland.

The Thunder beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 108-105 after trailing by nine in the closing minutes. The Thunder used a 13-0 run in the final minutes to help them win the game.

The OKC Thunder used a late comeback to move to 2-0

After 3-pointers from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren, Luguentz Dort drove and finished to take a two-point lead with less than 30 seconds remaining. Although Donovan Mitchell finished with 43 points, Dort forced a miss on the next possession to help the Thunder finish the game.

Holmgren stole the show early in his second game, particularly on the inside. Holmgren blocked five shots in the first half on his way to a Thunder rookie record of seven.

Along with the numerous shots he affected, Holmgren finished with 16 points and 13 rebounds for his first career double-double.

Gilgeous-Alexander led Oklahoma City on the offensive end but also had a solid defensive outing with five steals. The star guard scored 34 points and had 11 rebounds for his second-straight double-double.

While Holmgren had an impressive outing, he spent much of the night battling Evan Mobley. The two young big men went at each other throughout the game as Mobley also ended with a double-double, putting up 14 points and 15 rebounds.

Oklahoma City caught a break with two of Cleveland’s all-stars, Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen, missing the game with injuries. Without them, Cleveland relied on Mitchell.

While the Thunder looked to pull away at points in the first half, Mitchell kept the Cavaliers within striking distance. Mitchell had 17 points at halftime but hit just one of his six attempts from 3-point range before turning it around in the second half.

Outside shooting was a significant issue for Cleveland throughout the first half, as it shot only 3-of-22 from beyond the arc. In a back-and-forth third quarter, Cleveland nailed five 3-pointers to help it cut the Oklahoma City lead to four going to the fourth quarter.

While Oklahoma City held a 10-point lead at halftime, Josh Giddey and Williams struggled to get their scoring going. The two combined to shoot 0-of-10 in the first half and struggled to turn it around in the second half.

Dort got out to a quick start in Cleveland. Oklahoma City’s defensive stud surpassed his point total in the season debut with 10 in the first quarter on his way to 25.

The OKC Thunder will look to stay undefeated as they begin a six-game homestand on Sunday against the Denver Nuggets.