Category: Basketball

CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers weren’t able to get their offense going as they fell to the Oklahoma City Thunder 136-104.

The stats in the table below are from Cleaning the Glass.

	Effective Field Goal Percentage	Offensive Rebounding Percentage	Offensive Turnover Percentage	Free Throw Rate
Cavs	41.8%, 3rd percentile	36.1%, 82nd percentile	19.8%, 10th percentile	30.8, 87th percentile
Thunder	68.3%, 97th percentile	16.3%, 5th percentile	12.3%, 72nd percentile	14.4, 17th percentile

Now, let’s dive into the numbers.

• The Cavs couldn’t get anything to fall, going 8-35 (22.9%) from three (5th percentile). This was their lowest three-point percentage for a game this season. It’s a make-or-miss league. The best teams are typically the ones that make the highest percentage of threes. Their inconsistent outside shot is part of the reason why the results have been as they are.
• This was Cleveland’s fourth time shooting 25% or worse from beyond the arc. They’ve lost all four times they’ve done so. Last season, the Cavs only shot 25% or worse three times.
• The Cavs’ eight three-point makes tie their fewest for a game this season. The Cavs’ three-point volume has gone down considerably lately. They were in the 25th percentile for three-point attempts on Monday. Shooting fewer threes has been a recent trend. They’re 12th in three-point attempts since Dec. 13 and 18th in January. This comes after leading the league in attempts at the start of the season. The Cavs didn’t need more three-point attempts, considering how bad they were shooting it. However, it is alarming how much the pendulum has swung in the opposite direction. I’m not sure what the offensive identity of this team is on nights like this.
• The Thunder outscored the Cavs by 45 points from three. It doesn’t matter how good you are in other areas. There’s no overcoming being outscored by this much from three. The Thunder shot extraordinarily well from deep as they connected on 23 of their 47 attempts (48.9%).
• The poor shooting was compounded by not being able to finish inside as the Cavs converted just 47.2% of their shots at the rim (3rd percentile). The Cavs did their best to get to the rim. They went 17-36 on shots in the restricted area (90th percentile for attempts). But that doesn’t matter if you aren’t able to get anything to fall. The Thunder were able to pack the paint because of how bad Cleveland was shooting from three. They never could establish any kind of offensive flow.
• Oklahoma City registered a 130.7 half-court offensive rating (99th percentile). The Thunder executed exceptionally well in the half-court. They swung the ball to the open man and trusted their offensive process. The Cavs dared players like Lu Dort to beat them with their outside shot, and they did.
• The Cavs turned it over 21 times. This led to Oklahoma City getting 23 points off turnovers compared to Cleveland’s eight.
• Cleveland outscored Oklahoma City 22-5 on second-chance points. The Cavs secured 24 second-chance opportunities to the Thunder’s four. The Cavaliers did this without letting the Thunder run in transition, as Oklahoma City was in the 9th percentile in transition points off of live offensive rebounds. This is the only area of the game the Cavs excelled in.
• Cleveland’s 24th different starting lineup was outscored by 12 points in just over 10 minutes of play. The Cavs went with a starting group of Donovan Mitchell, Jaylon Tyson, Dean Wade, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen. That group struggled to get anything going offensively due to their lack of ball handling. They also didn’t do enough defensively to make it work. I understand and even agree with the reasoning behind this group. It just didn’t work.
• The Cavs are 2-8 when Mitchell scores 21 or fewer points in a game he plays. The Cavs have gone as Mitchell has from a scoring perspective this season. When he scores more than 35, they usually win. When he scores 21 or fewer, they almost always lose.
• Mitchell shot just 27.8% from the field. It was his third-worst shooting percentage for a game this season. Similar to his scoring numbers, the Cavs are 2-6 when he shoots under 40% from the field.

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Will Smith scored in his second consecutive game after missing a month because of injury, and the San Jose Sharks spoiled Matthew Tkachuk's season debut by beating the two-time defending champion Florida Panthers 4-1 on Monday night in a game highlighted by a rare goalie fight.

Florida's Sergei Bobrovsky beelined out of his crease and all the way down the ice to take on San Jose's Alex Nedeljkovic, who had inserted himself into a scrum in the corner with 14 minutes left. Fans chanted, “Bobby! Bobby!” and cheered the netminder nicknamed “Bob” who has backstopped the team to back-to-back Stanley Cup titles.

The second meeting between the teams this season, and first since Nov. 8, got increasingly chippy with pushing and shoving after whistles and more than a few punches thrown.

Between the whistles, the Sharks also got goals from defensemen Vincent Desharnais and Mario Ferraro and 36 saves from Nedeljkovic. Barclay Goodrow sealed it with an empty-netter, and San Jose won hours after general manager Mike Grier signaled his team is going for it this season following a lengthy rebuild by acquiring winger Kiefer Sherwood in a trade with Vancouver.

Tkachuk skated just under 21 minutes and had three shots on goal in his first game since helping Florida repeat and hoisting the Cup in June. The 28-year-old winger, who was picked to play for the U.S. at the Olympics next month in Milan, underwent surgery last summer to deal with a sports hernia and torn adductor muscle.

Eetu Luostarinen scored the Panthers' goal. Bobrovsky allowed three on 27 shots, giving up several juicy rebounds that San Jose capitalized on.

Puck drop was moved up an hour to a 6 p.m. EST start after the Miami Hurricanes made the college football national title game, which was being played in their nearby home stadium.

Up next

Sharks: Wrap up their road trip Tuesday night at Tampa Bay.

Panthers: Open a three-game trip Thursday night at Winnipeg.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

WASHINGTON (AP) — James Harden scored 36 points, and when he finally missed a couple big free throws in the final seconds, the ball came right back to him as the Los Angeles Clippers edged the Washington Wizards 110-106 on Monday for their sixth straight victory.

Harden made two free throws with 36.9 seconds left to give the Clippers a 108-106 lead, and after the teams traded scoreless possessions, Kyshawn George missed a 3-pointer for Washington. Harden was fouled with 5.9 seconds left. At that point, he was 16 for 16 from the line, but he missed both free throws.

The Wizards couldn’t secure the rebound, and the ball bounced back to Harden, who was fouled again. This time he made both shots to seal the win.

Washington has lost seven straight.

Although the two teams have been headed in opposite directions of late, this game was close basically the whole way. Harden’s layup put the Clippers up by three, but Khris Middleton was fouled while shooting a 3 with 57.6 seconds left, and he made all three free throws to tie it at 106.

The Clippers were without the injured Kawhi Leonard for a second straight game. Trae Young (knee, quad) still hasn’t played since being traded to Washington from Atlanta.

Alex Sarr led the Wizards with 28 points. George had 18 points, six assists and six rebounds, but he missed a trio of key shots in the last couple minutes for Washington.

BUCKS 112, HAWKS 110

ATLANTA (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo had 21 points and 17 rebounds and Milwaukee snapped a three-game losing streak, holding off Atlanta after squandering a 23-point lead in the second half.

The Hawks led 105-104 on Jalen Johnson’s 3-pointer with 1:11 remaining before dropping their fourth in a row in the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day game played in the hometown of the civil rights icon.

AJ Green and Bobby Portis hit back-to-back 3s, Johnson turned the ball over and Antetokounmpo powered inside for a basket that made it 109-105 with 36 seconds to go.

The Hawks still had a chance after Nickeil Alexander-Walker connected from outside the stripe and Ryan Rollins missed a free throw for the Bucks. But CJ McCollum bobbled the ball and wound up flinging an off-balance shot that clanked off the rim to seal it for Milwaukee.

Atlanta nearly won after missing its first 21 shots from 3-point range. The Hawks trailed 54-38 at halftime and 74-51 approaching the midway point of the third period before finally coming to life.

THUNDER 136, CAVALIERS 104

CLEVELAND (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 30 points, Chet Holmgren added 28 and Oklahoma City rolled to a victory over Cleveland.

It is the 30th time in 42 games Gilgeous-Alexander has scored at least 30. The reigning NBA MVP is second in the league in scoring, averaging 31.8 points.

The Thunder — who improved to a league-best 36-8 — tied a season high with 23 3-pointers and made 48.9% from beyond the arc. Luguentz Dort made five 3’s and finished with 18 points, while Isaiah Joe (16 points) and Holmgren made four apiece.

It is Cleveland’s worst loss in a regular-season game in nearly two seasons since Kenny Atkinson became coach. The last time it lost by at least 30 was a 37-point defeat at Miami on March 24, 2024.

Donovan Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 19 points, while Jaylon Tyson had 16 points and 10 rebounds.

Jarrett Allen had 16 points in his 600th NBA game.

MAVERICKS 114, KNICKS 97

NEW YORK (AP) — Max Christie scored a season-high 26 points, Cooper Flagg had 18 in his first pro game at Madison Square Garden and Dallas rolled to a victory over New York, who were booed frequently in the first half while falling behind by 30.

The Knicks lost their fourth straight and ninth in 11 games, even with Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart back from ankle injuries to return them to full strength.

The Mavericks, meanwhile, are missing numerous injured players but the ones who did suit up ran the Knicks off the floor in the first half to win their third straight game. Flagg had missed the previous two, both victories over Utah, with a sprained left ankle. The No. 1 pick also had seven rebounds, while Naji Marshall scored 18 points.

Karl-Anthony Towns had 22 points and 18 rebounds for the Knicks, and Brunson also had 22 points. Mitchell Robinson had 12 points and 15 rebounds.

SPURS 123, JAZZ 110

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Victor Wembanyama had a season-high seven 3-pointers and finished with 33 points and 10 rebounds hours after being named an All-Star starter for the first time as San Antonio beat Utah.

Wembanyama, named to his second All-Star team and the eighth San Antonio player to start, shot 7 for 12 from 3-point distance and finished one shy of his career best, set Nov. 13, 2024, against Washington.

The Spurs had seven players score in double figures in winning their third straight and for the fifth time in seven games.

The backcourt trio of Stephon Castle (18 points), Dylan Harper (15) and De’Aaron Fox (14) combined for 47 points for San Antonio.

Keyonte George had 30 points and Jusuf Nurkic added 20 for Utah.

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — A goalie fight broke out with 14 minutes left in a game Monday night between the Florida Panthers and San Jose Sharks that had gotten increasingly chippy with post-whistle pushing and shoving.

Florida’s Sergei Bobrovsky beelined from his crease to even things up after San Jose’s Alex Nedeljkovic got involved in a scrum in the corner.

Panthers fans chanted, “Bobby! Bobby!” after the two netminders were done tussling. Cheers followed when Bobrovsky returned from a brief trip to the locker room.

Bobrovsky and Nedeljkovic each got a 5-minute major penalty for fighting and an additional 2-minute penalty for leaving the crease to take part in an altercation. They stayed in the game.

The goalie nicknamed “Bob” has backstopped the NHL’s southernmost team to consecutive Stanley Cup championships.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Kansas coach Bill Self did not accompany the Jayhawks to Boulder for their game Tuesday night at Colorado after being taken to a hospital in Lawrence on Monday, the school said.

Kansas' athletic department said in a statement that Self was feeling under the weather and went to the hospital out of an abundance of caution. Self felt better after receiving IV fluids, the school said.

It was not immediately clear if Self would attempt to travel for the game or if an assistant would run the bench for the 19th-ranked Jayhawks.

Self, 63, missed the Big 12 and NCAA tournaments in 2023 because of a heart condition, getting a standard catheterization and having two stents inserted to help treat blocked arteries. He had two more stents inserted in July.

Now in his 23rd season, Self led Kansas to national titles in 2008 and 2022 and is the program's career wins leader with a 609-156 record. Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017, the former Oklahoma State player also coached at Oral Roberts, Tulsa and Illinois.

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Despite being at full strength once again, the Knicks lost to the Dallas Mavericks from start to finish on Monday night by a score of 114-97.

Here are the takeaways...

-- Things started off innocently enough as the Mavericks took an early 8-2 lead thanks to some deep shots falling early on. That lead grew to 16-4 as Max Christie continued to knock down threes with New York unable to stop anybody on defense. Rather than trying to slow the game down while in an early hole, the Knicks tried matching Dallas' pace but kept coming up empty following quick possessions. The most glaring issue was New York's three-point shooting, going 0-for-9 from deep in the first quarter.

-- Jalen Brunson was the only starter who was able to get going offensively in the opening quarter, putting up nine points with little help anywhere else. With hardly anybody else contributing on offense, Mitchell Robinson added eight points off the bench and was a force on the glass, grabbing seven rebounds (four offensive) in just six minutes off the bench.

-- Meanwhile, the Mavs had no problem getting to their spots and hitting shots. They shot 6-for-10 from three-point range in the first quarter, with Christie and Klay Thompson combining to go 5-for-5 from behind the arc. After one, Dallas led 31-22.

-- The second quarter was even worse for the Knicks. After missing their first 10 three-point attempts to start the game, Mikal Bridges finally saw one go through the net early in the second, but that was quickly negated after Cooper Flagg drilled one from deep on the next possession. 

-- After a quiet first quarter, Karl-Anthony Towns countered with a vicious dunk that got the MSG crowd on their feet before Robinson slammed home an alley-oop that cut New York's deficit to seven points. That was the closest the Knicks would get for the rest of the game, though, as the Mavericks went on a 13-0 run that ballooned their lead to 20. 

-- Towns ended the scoring drought with a three-pointer and followed it up with another dunk, but soon after, he was called for a flagrant 1 foul that sucked all of the remaining energy out of MSG. From there, Dallas got whatever they wanted on offense and put up 44 points in the quarter to go into halftime with a 75-47 lead.

-- New York held the Mavs to 39 points in the second half, but the damage had already been done. Overall, it was a night to forget for the Knicks, who shot 40 percent (38-for-95) from the field and 29 percent (9-for-31) from three. 

-- Brunson and Towns each had 22 points while Bridges, OG Anunoby and Josh Hart (in his return to the starting lineup from an ankle injury that he admitted before the game was not 100 percent healthy) combined for 24 points. Towns added a game-high 18 rebounds, but also had a game-high five turnovers.

-- Robinson also had a double-double, ending with 12 points and 15 rebounds. He was the only other Knick to score in double-digits.

-- For Dallas, it was just the opposite as the team shot 48 percent from the field and 47 percent from three. Christie led the charge with a game-high 26 points on an incredible 9-for-13 shooting performance (8-for-10 from downtown).

Game MVP: Max Christie

Christie had the green light all game and lit it up by knocking down eight of his 10 three-point attempts.

Highlights

Jalen up top to Mitch! pic.twitter.com/crQ2xe9qF7

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) January 19, 2026

What's next

The Knicks close out their three-game homestand with a meeting against the crosstown rival Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday night in a battle of the boroughs. Tip is set for 7:30 p.m.

Minnesota Timberwolves at Utah Jazz
Date: January 20th, 2026
Time: 8:00 PM CST
Location: Delta Center
Television Coverage: FanDuel Sports Network – North
Radio Coverage: Wolves App, iHeart Radio

The Timberwolves limp out of their Texas two-step having stumbled twice, once in Houston, once in San Antonio, and the standings, as always, offer zero sympathy. On paper, it’s two losses. In reality, it’s a little more complicated than that, and also a little more frustrating than it needed to be.

Friday night in Houston was the kind of game that should age well in hindsight and still feels annoying in the moment. Minnesota was without Anthony Edwards, facing a Rockets team with Kevin Durant very much doing Kevin Durant things, and still found itself with every opportunity to steal one on the road. The Wolves defended well early, pushed the pace, generated good looks, and turned Houston misses into transition opportunities. And then the second half arrived, the rhythm disappeared, the whistles multiplied, and Minnesota calmly lit 15 points on fire at the free-throw line. In a five-point loss. That’s not bad luck. That’s self-sabotage.

Saturday in San Antonio somehow managed to be even more exhausting. Without Rudy Gobert, Minnesota spotted the Spurs a 48-point second quarter and found itself staring at a 25-point deficit against Victor Wembanyama on his home floor. That should have been the end of it. Instead, the Wolves did the thing they’ve quietly been doing more often lately. They refused to die. They clawed all the way back, briefly took the lead, and turned what should have been a blowout into a one-possession game in the final minutes. Moral victory? Sure. But moral victories don’t move you up the standings.

And the standings matter. After grinding all January to climb back into the conversation, Minnesota now finds itself two and a half games behind San Antonio and two games behind Denver. The hill they spent weeks climbing just got steeper again. That’s the bad news.

The good news is that the Wolves are still very much alive, and the next five games represent a stretch that serious teams are supposed to handle without drama. Utah on Tuesday. Then home dates against Chicago, followed by a two-game set with Golden State at Target Center, before heading back to Texas for Dallas. Five games that range from manageable to very winnable. Five games that will tell us whether this past weekend was a blip… or the start of a slide.

Which brings us to Utah, the first stop in a much-needed reset.

Keys to the Game

#1 – Take this seriously, immediately.
This is the kind of game where the opponent doesn’t beat you — you beat yourself. Utah does not have the firepower, depth, or defensive presence to match Minnesota if the Wolves show up with purpose. We’ve already seen this matchup end in a 40-point demolition earlier this season. That wasn’t an accident. The only way this becomes uncomfortable is if Minnesota comes out flat, sloppy, or mentally checked out after a draining weekend. This is about professionalism. About urgency. About recognizing that dropping games like this is how promising seasons quietly derail. The Wolves should come out looking to end this by halftime.

#2 – Win on the perimeter so the paint takes care of itself.
When Minnesota spirals defensively, it usually starts on the wings. Lazy closeouts. Straight-line drives. Over-helping that leads to open threes. That can’t happen here. Utah only survives if you give them clean looks early and allows them to stick around in a game that they shouldn’t be in. If Rudy Gobert is back, great. Let him patrol the paint. But the wings, McDaniels, Edwards, and Clark, have to do their jobs first. Good perimeter defense makes everything else easier.

#3 – Bigs, be grown-ups.
Gobert’s status matters. Naz Reid’s shoulder matters. But regardless of who’s available, Minnesota’s frontcourt has a clear advantage in this matchup and needs to play like it. Utah isn’t built to punish you inside, but they will hang around if you don’t control the glass and finish possessions. If minutes open up, keep giving Joan Beringer run. He’s earned it, and the experience matters. Championship teams don’t wait until April to figure out who they trust.

#4 – Make the free throws. Period.
This shouldn’t still be a conversation, but here we are. Houston was a clinic in how to waste an otherwise solid road performance. These are free points. The Wolves have already watched a handful of games slip away at the line. You don’t get to keep doing that and call yourself a contender. This is a fix-the-basics moment.

#5 – Let Anthony Edwards remind everyone who he is.
Ant’s 55-point eruption in San Antonio wasn’t just a scoring binge. It was a signal flare. This is what the leap looks like. This is what it sounds like when a star kicks the door down instead of knocking. Utah has been one of Edwards’ favorite opponents, and Minnesota badly needs the emotional reset that only a dominant Ant performance can provide. This isn’t about style points. It’s about reestablishing order. About turning two frustrating losses into a footnote instead of a turning point.

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This should be a win. No qualifiers. No excuses. The Wolves have the talent edge, the urgency, and the opportunity. Championship-caliber teams don’t overthink games like this. They bank them, snap losing streaks, and move on.

Do that here, and suddenly the Texas stumble becomes a speed bump instead of a warning sign. Do that here, and the path back toward the two or three seed is still wide open. This is how momentum is rebuilt — not with speeches or promises, but with decisive nights against teams you’re better than.

Handle Utah. Then we can talk about the rest.

The Brooklyn Nets couldn’t get it done against the Bulls in the home-and-home. They’re back in Brooklyn on Monday where they’ll welcome former Nets assistant Jordan Ott and his new-look Suns. It’s Ott’s first season as head coach after he spent six years with the Nets, spanning from Kenny Atkinson to Jacque Vaughn.

Onto the game… these Suns are no laughingstock.

🏀 Phoenix Suns (25-17) at Brooklyn Nets (12-28)

Location: Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY
Tip-Off: 7:30 PM ET
TV: YES Network | Gotham Sports App
Radio: WFAN 101.9 FM

⚠️ Injury Report

Sharpe: OUT – Illness/Throat Contusion
Dëmin: OUT – Left Plantar Fascia Injury Management
Thomas: OUT – Left Hamstring Injury Management
Highsmith: OUT – Right Knee Surgery, Injury Recovery
Etienne: OUT – G League Two Way
Johnson: OUT – G League Two Way
Liddell: OUT – G League Two Way
Saraf: OUT – G League Assignment

💬 Discussion

Share thoughts and react, but please be respectful. NetsDaily prides itself on being a safe space for Nets and basketball fans alike to have healthy conversation. Reach out to Anthony Puccio or Net Income with any issues.

Draymond Green is the latest inclusion in the injury report. He is listed as out for tonight against the Miami Heat due to a right ankle sprain, in what will be the first game of a home back-to-back.

Draymond Green is out tonight vs Heat. Right ankle sprain. Front side of back-to-back. Al Horford is playing, which rules him out tomorrow vs Raptors.

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) January 19, 2026

The Warriors will be short of two key rotation pieces in Green and De’Anthony Melton, who is listed as out due to injury management. Melton still hasn’t been cleared to play back-to-back slates, which means he will be available tomorrow against the Toronto Raptors. Al Horford — available tonight against the Heat — also hasn’t been cleared to play both games of back-to-backs and will be expected to sit out tomorrow night’s game.

Per Databallr, the Warriors have been a net neutral (plus-3.5 on the floor, plus-3.5 off the floor) this season with regard to Green’s on-off numbers.

Update: Joel Embiid is available and will start Monday night against the Indiana Pacers. Kelly Oubre, Jr. will start in place of Paul George.

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The Philadelphia 76ers will play the first game of their eighth back-to-back of the season on Monday night hosting the Indiana Pacers.

They will take the floor at the Xfinity Mobile Arena for the contest without Paul George. PG was ruled out this evening (after being listed as questionable earlier in the day) for left knee injury management.

Now, Joel Embiid remains the name to watch for Monday night as he remains listed as questionable for left knee injury management and illness. For what it’s worth, the illness part of the designation did not appear until Monday afternoon. We will keep you posted on his availability as we know more.

George (and possibly Embiid) missing this game shouldn’t come as a terrible shock or worry, though. As mentioned, this is the start of a back-to-back for the Sixers, with the squad right back in action again on Tuesday night to host the Phoenix Suns, a more formidable opponent than the 10-33 Pacers. Neither PG nor Embiid have played on zero days rest this season, so if the Sixers want them in the lineup against the Suns, it would likely mean sidelining them for Monday.

In other availability news, Jared McCain is back with the Sixers after a short — and honestly, lackluster — one-game stint with the G League Delaware Blue Coats. McCain played 30 minutes in a contest against the  15 points on 18 shots in six turnovers in a Coats loss to the Noblesville Bloom. He was recalled to the Sixers on Monday afternoon and is listed as available to face the Pacers.

The Pacers will be without Tyrese Haliburton, Bennedict Mathurin and Obi Toppin.

The Sixers and Pacers tip off in South Philadelphia at 7 p.m. ET.

The Cleveland Cavaliers ran into a buzzsaw today as the Oklahoma City Thunder beat them 136-104. Let’s see who won and lost the game.

WINNER – Lu Dort

This is the first time I’ve given ‘winner’ to an opponent this season. That’s not to say there haven’t been great performances from the other teams all season long. There have been. But Lu Dort’s defense on Donovan Mitchell has been impossible to ignore, dating back multiple seasons at this point.

Dort is built in a lab to defend Mitchell. He’s one of the only backcourt players in the NBA who have a comparable build. Dort is a stocky, quick-twitch athlete who can give Mitchell problems that no other defender in the league has been able to. He can beat Mitchell to his spot, and he’s strong enough to stop Mitchell from simply powering through him.

Mitchell finished this game shooting 5-18. Last season, Mitchell shot 3-16 and 3-15 in his two games against the Thunder. That’s 11-49 (22%) across three games.

Of course, not all of that is because of Dort. OKC’s strength is their defense. But Dort is a huge part of that, and he’s the best Mitchell-stopper in the NBA, if you ask me.

WINNER – Jarrett Allen Blocks

Highlights were few and far between today for the Cavs. But Jarrett Allen took home the two biggest plays of the day.

It started with what might be the best block of the Cavaliers’ season. Jaylen Williams was barreling towards the rim, ready to throw down a thunderous dunk, before Allen met him at the rim and sent Williams back reeling. I’m not sure if I’ve seen Allen block a shot with this much force before.

His second block was less eventful. It was a simple rotate-and-recover to stop a layup at the rim. But considering how the rest of the game went, these two blocks will be cherished.

LOSER – Lonzo Ball

I’m sorry to say, but we might have seen enough of Lonzo Ball this season. He has struggled to find his rhythym and the Cavs can’t afford to keep waiting for him to figure it out. At the very least, he needs a prolonged stretch on the bench before Kenny Atkinson can turn back to Ball for minutes.

Ball is shooting 27% from the three-point line this season. That didn’t stop him from jacking up four three-point attempts in his first five minutes on the court today. One of which was a step-back jumper from the corner early in the shot clock.

Zo threw the ball out of bounds on the very next play and didn’t return.

LOSER – Efficient Offense

The Thunder have been a historically good defense for two years in a row. If you’re going to beat them, you really have to earn it.

Cleveland’s offense didn’t earn it today.

The Cavs didn’t hit their first three-pointer of the game until late in the first quarter when Craig Proter Jr. bailed them out of a possession. They entered halftime shooting 4-18 from deep and continued to shoot 5-27 as the fourth quarter started.

Cleveland finished the game shooting just 8-35 from deep (22%).

You can’t beat this Thunder team if your offense isn’t playing sharp. The Thunder already do enough defensively to make your life difficult. Missing open shots — or worse — committing unforced turnovers is a recipe for disaster.

The Cavs had 21 turnovers. You can credit some of that to OKC’s defense. But you can also credit a handful of those turnovers to simple miscommunications or bad decision-making from Cleveland. Take throwing the ball out of bounds in the backcourt after a defensive rebound, for example. Or driving into a crowd and finding yourself stuck without a dribble. All of this is avoidable — and all of it plays directly into OKC’s hand.

You can slice this game up a million different ways. But a poor shooting night and a high-turnover rate is a death sentence against the Thunder.

The Cleveland Cavaliers took a big loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder 136-102. Cleveland shot 22% from deep.

All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.

Donovan Mitchell

19 points, 3 assists, 4 rebounds

This is a nightmare matchup for Mitchell. He’s shot 5-19 tonight, and was 3-15 and 3-16 in his previous two games against the Thunder. Lu Dort might be his kryptonite. It’s worse when Darius Garland isn’t available to take the heat off Mitchell.

Grade: F

Jaylon Tyson

16 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists

Tyson was nearly perfect against the 76ers. But today, he went 1-4 from downtown and never found his groove. We’ll give him credit for a double-double (partially earned in garbage time), but the Thunder also forced Tyson into four turnovers before things got out of hand. This wasn’t as impactful a game as the box score suggests.

Grade: C+

Evan Mobley

16 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 block, 1 steal

Games like this can be hard to grade for Mobley. On the surface, it’s a more than respectable box score when you take into account his elite defense. At the same time, just 16 points on 14 shots will leave you wanting so much more. Especially when Mitchell struggled, and Garland didn’t play.

Grade: B

Tyrese Proctor

3 points, 0 rebounds, 0 assists, 5 fouls, 3 turnovers, 14 minutes

Proctor again earned spot minutes off the bench as Cleveland’s guard rotation continues to thin. He looked a bit out of his depth against the reigning champs, but I can’t put too much of this on a second-round rookie.

Grade: D+

Craig Porter Jr.

9 points, 3 assists, 5 rebounds

The league’s best defense is a tough matchup for Porter, whose offensive limitations made it difficult for him to get downhill and create plays. Porter had a handful of nice finishes at the rim, but he got lost in the trees and turned it over a few times, too.

Grade: D

De’Andre Hunter

16 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist, 5 turnovers

Hunter shot the ball poorly from the floor (3-13) but found success at the free-throw line (8-8). He also had 9 rebounds, showing that he can find other ways to be a contributor even when his shot isn’t falling. That’s nice to see, but his 5 turnovers make this one hard to be happy about.

Grade: D+

Jarrett Allen

16 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 blocks

Allen had all of the highlight plays today. His huge block on Jaylen Williams and a thunderous dunk in the second half were some of the only moments that got the Cleveland crowd on their feet. He also forced his way to the line to shoot 8-10 on free throws.

Grade: B+

Nae’Qwan Tomlin

6 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals

This was your average Nae’Qwan Tomlin game. A huge putback dunk and some chaotic defensive plays. He cleaned the glass for 5 defensive and 2 offensive rebounds, as well.

Grade: B+

Lonzo Ball

3 points, 1 assist

Ball only played five minutes when a couple of questionable three-point attempts and a turnover sent him right back to the bench.

Grade: F

Dean Wade

0 points, 2 rebounds

This was Wade’s first game back from a knee injury. He played 16 minutes and had the same number of points as you and me.

Jokes aside, it’s nice to have Wade back, and we hope he can find the rhythym he had before the injury.

Grade: D

The Golden State Warriors will play the Miami Heat for Monday’s Martin Luther King Day matchup. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 PM PT in San Francisco and can be watched on NBC Sports Bay Area.

MLK Day hoops

🏀 GSW vs. MIA
🕖 7pm PT
📺 @NBCSAuthentic
📻 @957thegame
📱 https://t.co/6BLvDT0Wyn
🎟️ https://t.co/Z938EY2y42pic.twitter.com/BG2KSz2J9q

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) January 19, 2026

Previously with the Warriors:

The Warriors moved to a season-best five games above .500 after defeating the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday night, 136–116. It was a true team effort for Golden State, with eight players scoring in double figures. The Warriors shot 54.8 percent from the field and stayed hot from beyond the arc, knocking down 23 of their 52 three-point attempts (44.2 percent).

Golden State’s offensive rhythm continues to roll, as Saturday marked their third straight game with 10 different players making at least one three-pointer — a feat that has never been accomplished in NBA history.

The Warriors are the first team in NBA history to have 10 players make at least one 3-pointers in three straight games @NBCSWarriors

— Dalton Johnson (@DaltonJ_Johnson) January 18, 2026

Curry on Golden State's recent 3-point shooting: "We have capable shooters all up and down the roster. … It's how you create good looks that get everybody involved. It's a fun way to play, not knowing who's going to get (the ball) on any possession."

— Sam Gordon (@BySamGordon) January 18, 2026

What to watch for tonight:

Saturday’s blowout win came despite a surprising late scratch for Warriors wing Jimmy Butler, who was ruled out shortly before tip-off. After the game, head coach Steve Kerr said he was informed by general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. that Butler missed the game due to personal reasons.

Steve Kerr on Jimmy Butler’s late scratch and how the Warriors, said he doesn’t expect it to be anything long term:

“I got the word from Mike [Dunleavy] that everything is fine. He just had a personal thing that came up right before the game.” pic.twitter.com/G95j5XK4es

— Kenzo Fukuda (@kenzofuku) January 18, 2026

While Butler is expected to return for Monday night’s matchup against his former team in the Heat, Golden State will be without De’Anthony Melton, who will be sitting out the first night of this back-to-back.

De’Anthony Melton is out for the Warriors tomorrow night against the Heat on the front side of a back-to-back. They face the Raptors on Tuesday night. Jimmy Butler is not on the injury report after missing Saturday night for personal reasons.

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) January 19, 2026

In addition to Butler’s return, former Warrior Andrew Wiggins will make his first appearance at the Chase Center since last year’s blockbuster trade. Wiggins was a key piece of Golden State’s 2022 championship run and should receive a warm ovation in his return to the Bay. 

I hope Dub Nation gives him a GREAT welcome back tonight!! He deserves it. https://t.co/Lw9YdioBC3

— Raymond Ridder (@DoubleR_PR) January 19, 2026

Enjoy the game Dub Nation. GO WARRIORS!!! 

Projected Starters

Warriors: Steph Curry, Moses Moody, Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green, Quinten Post

Heat: Davion Mitchell, Norman Powell, Pelle Larsson, Andrew Wiggins, Bam Adebayo

How to watch Regular Season Game 44

Who: Golden State Warriors (24 – 19) vs. Miami Heat (22 – 20)

When: Monday, January 19th, at 7:00 p.m. PT

Where: Chase Center, San Francisco, California

TV: NBC Sports Bay Area (available on fuboTV)