Oklahoma vs Cleveland Prediction 22 February 2026
🔊 Can the Cavaliers deliver top-tier basketball? In this NBA regular-season matchup, Oklahoma face off against Cleveland. Both teams are in relatively good form. However, the key difference is that the latter have almost no significant injury concerns. The hosts, on the other hand, are forced to play without their star players.
Head-to-Head
📊 The last head-to-head encounter ended with the Thunder claiming victory with a score of 136-104. In 4 out of the last 5 clashes between these teams, the reigning champions have come out on top (4-1).
Head-to-head statistics Oklahoma - Cleveland
Oklahoma City Thunder Team Overview
Oklahoma continue to lead the Western Conference with a 75.4% win rate. Thanks to a strong start in the first half of the regular season, they've built a solid cushion that allows for a few mistakes, even consecutive ones. It seems the team has started to take advantage of this. The absence of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander significantly impacts their offensive efficiency during critical moments. While this isn't a major issue against a team like Brooklyn (105-86), the situation looks grim against tougher opponents, as was the case with Houston (106-112).
In many key metrics, the Thunder still lead the league. The home court advantage also offers certain prospects. However, the opponent's offense is highly developed, and even their vaunted defense might face challenges.
Match Results: Oklahoma City Thunder
Cleveland Cavaliers Team Overview
Cleveland's squad continues to showcase top-tier basketball. They've secured 9 wins in their last 10 games. Their return from the All-Star break was nothing short of spectacular. They first took care of Brooklyn with ease (112-84). Then they notched a victory against the formidable Hornets (118-113). As practice shows, even without a blistering pace, their offense performs admirably. Their efficiency metrics are among the best in the league, averaging 120 points per game.
It's reasonable to expect that James Harden and Donovan Mitchell will have significant advantages over their counterparts. Yes, the absence of a leading forward will certainly impact their play under the basket. However, the visitors are not lacking in size. They can put up a fight in this aspect as well.
Match Results: Cleveland Cavaliers
Latest news
Oklahoma City Thunder
⛔️ Oklahoma will be missing Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams, and Mitchell on the court.
📋 Projected lineup: Wallace, Dort, Wiggins, Holmgren, Hartenstein.
Cleveland Cavaliers
⛔️ Cleveland will take the court without Evan Mobley. The absence of Max Strus has long been expected.
📋 Projected lineup: Harden, Mitchell, Merrill, Wade, Allen.
Prediction for the 1st quarter
Head-to-Head Matches:
- Total encounters - 37;
- First quarter wins at home for the hosts - 13; for the visitors on the road - 5;
- Average total points in the first quarter: 52.68;
- Today's home team averages 27.65, while the visitors average 25.03.
First Quarter Stats: Oklahoma City Thunder (home) vs Cleveland Cavaliers (away)
- Tournament matches played: 31 vs 29;
- Number of wins: 18 (58.06%) vs 16 (55.17%);
- Number of losses: 9 (29.03%) vs 11 (37.93%);
- Number of draws: 4 (12.9%) vs 2 (6.9%).
- Average points scored: 30 vs 30.1;
- Average points conceded: 26.06 vs 27.59.
Last 10 Matches (Overall):
- Number of wins: 5 vs 5;
- Number of losses: 4 vs 5;
- Number of draws: 1 vs 0;
- Average first quarter total: 54.1 (scored - 27.8, conceded - 26.3) vs 54 (scored - 29.1, conceded - 24.9).
- Oklahoma City Thunder won the 1st quarter in last 6 games against Cleveland Cavaliers (NBA).
🔝 Top Scorers
Oklahoma's leading scorer remains Gilgeous-Alexander. The Canadian guard averages 31.9 points per game. However, in the current setup, forward Holmgren is emerging as a key offensive star, averaging 17.3 points.Cleveland recently added a second reliable scoring option to their lineup. James Harden contributes a solid 25.4 points per game this season. Of course, Donovan Mitchell also deserves mention, with an average of 28.8 points.
🏀 Three-Pointers
When it comes to long-range attempts, Oklahoma are performing quite well, converting 36.3% of their shots. However, it's worth noting that the reigning champions struggle to defend against this type of shot, allowing opponents to convert 37% of their attempts.
Cleveland heavily rely on three-pointers, averaging 41.1 attempts per game, which is among the highest in the league. Their shooting accuracy is commendable at 35.8%. However, the Cavaliers' defense against three-point shots leaves much to be desired, allowing a 37.2% conversion rate.
⭐ Editorial Prediction
Given the current circumstances, bookmakers are slightly favoring Cleveland. This distribution of odds seems reasonable. In matchups involving such top-tier teams, star power often makes the difference. The visitors boast two stars who are fully fit, while Oklahoma are missing their two main scorers. Against such elite opposition, the hosts are likely to face significant challenges. Therefore, our editorial team suggests considering the option of a Cleveland victory.
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Betting Tips: Oklahoma City Thunder - Cleveland Cavaliers
in last 6 games against Cleveland Cavaliers (NBA).in 5 of last 6 home games against Cleveland Cavaliers (NBA).in 12 of last 13 games (NBA).in 9 of last 10 away games (NBA).
in 6 of last 7 away games (NBA).
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