Cavs set to host Thunder in battle of NBA's best teams

INDEPENDENCE — The national spotlight is shining brightly on the Cavaliers. Their game with the Oklahoma City Thunder tonight is a featured game on ESPN between the teams with the best records in the NBA. "We want to show everybody across the world how good we are," Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson said. The game has so many storylines. The Cavs have the best record in the league at 31-4, followed by OKC's 30-5. The Thunder have won 15 consecutive games compared to Cleveland's 10 in a row. The Cavs have the top offense in the league and Oklahoma City has the No. 1 defense. Furthermore, Cleveland hasn't lost to a Western Conference team in 10 attempts. "It will be the ultimate test for us," Cavs guard Donovan Mitchell said. "It should be a high-intensity game. They are an elite team. "You go into every game expecting to win. If not, what are you competing for? It's going to be a tough game. There are so many things you can point to." Mitchell said he believes Thunder shooting guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is an MVP candidate. The 6-foot-6, 200-pounder is averaging 31.3 points, 5.6 rebounds and 6.1 assists and is shooting .524 from the field. The Cavs guard said he likes being in the spotlight. "We are a talented group," Mitchell said. "There are a lot of guys in our group who thought it should have been a while ago. Whether (the media) is here or not, we still have work to do. "I think it's great the small-market teams are getting the attention they deserve. We're not in LA, New York, Miami or Chicago. At the end of the day, you have to be able to win and play at a high level to generate that attention." Power forward Evan Mobley said tonight's game will be a big test. "I feel like the energy is good," he said. "It's a big game to make a statement. It's two great teams. We have to go out there and do what we know we can do." Mobley said Cleveland is sometimes overlooked, despite having so many positive attributes. "That's the way it's always been," he said. "It comes with the territory. We need to focus on the basketball side. It's good we're getting national coverage. Hopefully, that keeps growing." Atkinson said games like tonight are great for the NBA. "It's fun for the teams involved and it's fun for the fans," he said. "The teams are playing historically well. Our guys are looking forward to it but we're not treating it like it's the (NBA) Finals. We want to use it as a test and have it provide feedback to where we are." The Cavs are expecting a very physical game from the Thunder. "Some teams are physical but don't have the athletes," Atkinson said. "They have the athletes across the board. They have length at every position. (OKC center Isaiah) Hartenstein is one of the elite rim protectors in the league." The 7-foot, 255-pounder, who played 16 games in Cleveland during the 2020-21 season, is averaging 12 points, 12.2 rebounds and 1.4 blocks. "You are preparing like it's any other game but there's a heightened excitement about it," Atkinson said. "Guys are a little more perky today. As a coach, we have to keep guys in their comfort zone." Fresh legs Mitchell said he's playing about four minutes fewer than he's averaged in his career. Atkinson is trying to keep the players around 30 minutes a game to keep them fresh for the postseason. "We've all bought in as a group," he said. "We're all making that sacrifice." The players are benefiting from playing fewer minutes. "This is probably the best I've felt in my (four) seasons here," Mobley said. "That's a credit to my teammates and how well we've been playing. We have to keep conserving our bodies." Injury news Swingman Isaac Okoro (shoulder) has missed the last eight games due to injury. Guard Sam Merrill (ankle) was held out of the Charlotte game on Sunday. Both players went through contact drills on Tuesday and could be available for OKC. "Let's see how they respond (today)," Atkinson said. Bob Finnan can be reached at rfinnan30@gmail.com. Follow him @BobCavsinsider on X.