The Athletic NBA Daily Thunder slow down Cavs
Feb 23, 2026
Andrew Schlecht, NBA reporter and Thunder specialist, breaks down Oklahoma City’s system win over Cleveland. He highlights the bench players who stepped up and how Chet Holmgren anchored the defense. He explains coaching matchup choices and what extended minutes revealed about rotation fits.
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Depth Carried OKC Against Cleveland
- Oklahoma City won without key stars by leaning on depth and role players like Kaysen Wallace, Isaiah Joe, Jared McCain, and Chet Holmgren.
- Isaiah Joe had five first-quarter steals, Kaysen Wallace posted 20 points and 10 assists, and McCain hit a timely transition three.
Role Players Elevated Their Games
- Isaiah Joe and Kaysen Wallace stepped up as playmakers and defenders in the absence of SGA and Jalen Williams.
- Joe logged a career-high five steals (all in Q1) and Wallace had 20 points, 10 assists and three steals with one turnover.
Injuries Became A Roster Audit Opportunity
- OKC used the extended stretch of minutes without regulars as a live experiment to evaluate fringe rotation pieces.
- Nikola Topic and Jared McCain received minutes so coaches could see who fits next-season rotation roles.