Gilgeous-Alexander scores season-high 43 as Thunder edge Cavaliers 117-112

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored a season-high 43 points and made the go-ahead three-pointer in the closing seconds as the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 117-112 on Monday 2 November.

The shot, a 24-footer over Sam Merrill, put Oklahoma City ahead 115-112, according to Reuters, which timed it at 33 seconds remaining. The Associated Press report carried by ESPN had it at 32.6 seconds.

Either way, it settled a fourth quarter that had swung back and forth all the way through. ESPN reported eight ties and eight lead changes in the final period alone.

A night built around one player

Gilgeous-Alexander took 35 shots and made 14 of them. Reuters reported that the 35 attempts matched both his career high and the highest total by any player in the NBA this season. He added 11 of 12 free throws and played 38 minutes.

The 43 points also matched his highest total in 17 career games against Cleveland, according to ESPN.

Thunder coach Mark Daigneault made no attempt to dress it up as anything other than a deliberate decision to lean on his best player.

"He was putting a ton of pressure on their defense, and he had the look in his eye tonight, so we obviously rode him offensively," Daigneault said. "It's not our identity for 82 games, but there's some nights when, like I said, you got a player like that that you got to just cut him loose, and he delivered in a big way."

The context explains the approach. Oklahoma City were without three starters because of long-term injuries, according to ESPN, and had lost their previous two road games by more than 20 points each. A third heavy defeat away from home would have raised questions about how a depleted roster was coping.

Instead the Thunder found enough support around their star. Ajay Mitchell scored 20 points and Isaiah Hartenstein pulled down 14 rebounds.

Cleveland's push falls just short

For much of the second half, the Cavaliers looked the more likely winners. They went 9-for-17 from three-point range in the third quarter and then opened the fourth with an 18-9 run.

Donovan Mitchell finished with 17 points and 11 assists, Meleek Thomas also scored 17 and Evan Mobley added 16. But Cleveland could not hold off Gilgeous-Alexander down the stretch, and the defeat was their first at home in four games this season.

The result says something about both teams. Cleveland had been protecting their home floor well, and a hot shooting third quarter plus a strong start to the fourth would usually be enough to close out a visitor missing three starters. That it was not is a mark of how much Oklahoma City can still get from one player on a given night.