Gilgeous-Alexander Drops 42 as Thunder Complete Home-and-Home Sweep of Cavaliers

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander delivered another statement performance as the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 124-116 on Wednesday night, sweeping the two-game home-and-home series between the sides. The reigning NBA Most Valuable Player scored 16 points in each of the final two quarters, finishing with 42 on 11-of-26 shooting, including five three-pointers, one short of his career high. He also added eight assists as the Thunder pulled away after a fast start. Oklahoma City seized control early with a 25-7 run in the first quarter, a burst that included eight points from rookie Bennett Stirtz, and led by 50-25 midway through the second. Cleveland fought back after the break but could never fully close the gap. The Cavaliers were dealt a blow late in the first quarter when centre Jarrett Allen left the game with a right knee injury. They had already lost the first meeting of the pair in Cleveland on Sunday, when Gilgeous-Alexander scored 43 in a five-point Thunder win. The victory keeps Oklahoma City rolling as one of the league's early pacesetters, while Cleveland will hope Allen's injury proves short-lived as the season gathers pace.