Three Takeaways From the OKC Thunder's Win Over the Cavaliers

The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the red-hot Cleveland Cavaliers, 121-113, Sunday afternoon at Paycom Center. OKC snapped Cleveland's seven-game winning streak with the clutch-time victory.

OKC was led by Isaiah Joe and Cason Wallace. Joe led the team in scoring with 22 points on six three-pointers along with five streals, and Wallace scored 20 points, adding 10 assists and three steals.

The Thunder scored 31 points off turnovers in the win.

OKC's record improved to 44-14 after the team's second win over Cleveland this season. Here are three takeaways from the close victory.

Feb 22, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Isaiah Joe (11) drives between Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden (1) and Cleveland Cavaliers forward Dean Wade (32) during the first half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

1. Isaiah Joe Has Constant Two-way Impact

Continuing his incredible offensive stretch, Joe was everywhere on the floor from the starting point of the game onwards. He led the team with 22 points while playing his best defensive game of the season.

Joe was active early on the defensive end, tallying five steals in the first quarter. He continued the defensive effort throughout the game, despite it not popping up on the box score.

Joe's three-point shot was as good as ever, knocking down six threes on ten attempts from distance. All of his made shots came via the deep ball.

Joe's shooting has come up big for the Thunder in their previous stretch of games, and it came up at a pivotal moment down the stretch. The Arkansas product drilled a three-pointer with under four minutes remaining to extend OKC's lead to nine.

While missing important players, performances like this from Joe are greatly important.

Feb 22, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jaylin Williams (6) shoots against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the first half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

2. Much Needed Three-point Marksmanship

The Thunder have had streaky three-point shooting displays throughout the season, but the team saw a high amount of shots fall into the hoop against the Cavaliers. OKC knocked down 21 three-pointers on 41 attempts, converting at a 51.2% clip.

The Thunder saw six players knock down two or more triples on the day, spreading the wealth from beyond the arc. On top of that, two players only hit three-pointers on the night, with Joe and Jaylin Williams convering six and three shots from distance on the night.

Wallace had a career night scoring and assisting, but he also managed to drill four triples on eight attempts. Jared McCain continued his powerful entrance to OKC, knocking down two.

OKC's 21 three-pointers mark the fourth-highest tally of the season. The team's previous game against Cleveland is the highest total, with 23.

Feb 22, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center/forward Isaiah Hartenstein (55) goes up for a basket against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the first half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

3. Clutch-time Execution

Oklahoma City has let multiple clutch games slip through its hands in February, but today against Cleveland was a different story. The Thunder used creative play design ran through Wallace to get the job done down the stretch.

OKC was able to respond to everything Cleveland threw its way, powering behind a strong pick-and-roll between Isaiah Hartenstein and Wallace, with Hartenstein racking up multiple efficient looks inside the paint.

Grabbing offensive rebounds was crucial down the stretch as well, with the Thunder grabbing six crucial rebounds on the offensive glass, earning nine second-chance points.

OKC has used this stretch without two of its superstars to learn how to find new ways to win, with this game being no different.