Cavaliers standing tall against Thunder’s depleted lineup in Monday matchup, Deadspin looks ahead

Cleveland’s big men take charge

The Cavaliers beat the Bucks 136-111 on Saturday, their first blowout win in seven months. Mobley scored a season-high 27 points, while Allen added 25 points, 11 rebounds and four assists. Together, they scored 52 points in less than 49 minutes.

Both players took 16 shots and made 23 of 32 combined. Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson said the team had emphasized getting them the ball after they managed only 17 total field-goal attempts in a loss to Atlanta on Thursday. The win was Cleveland’s fourth in its last five games.

Thunder arrive short-handed

Oklahoma City will be without center Chet Holmgren, forward Jalen Williams and guard Cason Wallace, all sidelined with long-term injuries since the team’s Oct. 25 home win over the Los Angeles Clippers. Alex Caruso and Thomas Sorber are also not expected to play Monday.

The Thunder have suffered two consecutive road losses by more than 20 points. In Saturday’s 119-98 defeat to Houston, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 26 points, but the Rockets led by as many as 27.

Coach Mark Daigneault said the team needed to focus on competing. Jared McCain scored 10 points in his first start at shooting guard but missed all five of his three-point attempts. Ajay Mitchell scored six after totaling 59 points in the previous two games, while rookie Bennett Stirtz contributed a season-high 11 points and three assists.

A different kind of test

The meeting had been anticipated as a matchup of top teams, but Oklahoma City’s injuries have changed the picture. The Thunder were 4-0 before their two recent losses.

Daigneault said Oklahoma City was considering ways to broaden its players and tactics, while stressing that the team also needed to play well. Cleveland, meanwhile, will try to build on a complete performance in which Atkinson said the team connected across four quarters.