Recap: Cleveland vs. Oklahoma City
Sports Network | November 26, 2008
Cleveland, OH (Sports Network) - Zydrunas Ilgauskas scored 17 and four other players finished in double figures as the Cleveland Cavaliers used a balanced attack to remain unbeaten at home with a 117-82 drubbing of the lowly Oklahoma City Thunder at Quicken Loans Arena.
Daniel Gibson had 15 points while J.J. Hickson and LeBron James each dropped 14 in a blowout for the Cavaliers, who are 8-0 as the host so far this season and have claimed victory in 11 of their last 12 games, including three straight.
Most of the starters found the bench early as the Cavs held a 34-point halftime advantage. Ilgauskas and James did their damage in a combined 30:32 of floor time while Wally Szczerbiak scored 13 and Delonte West distributed a game-high 10 assists with five rebounds and eight points.
Chris Wilcox had 14 points off the bench for Oklahoma City, which has lost 13 in a row and is 1-15 on the season. The Thunder were coming off a heart- breaking 99-98 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday, when Matt Barnes' three- pointer with 21 seconds remaining gave Phoenix the win.
Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook netted 13 points apiece while Westbrook also collected five steals and five assists for the Thunder, who shot 35.4 percent (29-of-82) from the floor en route to an embarrassing loss.
Oklahoma City has now started the Scott Brooks era 0-3. Brooks was named interim head coach prior to Saturday's loss to New Orleans after P.J. Carlesimo was fired earlier in the day following an abysmal 1-12 start to the Thunder's inaugural season.
Things did not start off well in Oklahoma City's bid to end its losing streak as the Cavs started the game on a 13-0 run and went up by 20 later in the first, building an early 29-9 advantage before closing out the opening 12 minutes with a 33-14 lead.
Cleveland kept up the pressure to open the second and the Thunder had no answer, with an 11-2 Cavs run making it a 44-16 game just 2 1/2 minutes in.
The Cavs held a healthy 66-32 lead at the half behind 64.3 percent shooting from the field and led 92-52 after three quarters.
With the game in hand, Cleveland gave its reserves extended minutes down the stretch and the Thunder were able to make the final more respectable by outscoring their opponent 30-25 in the fourth.
Oklahoma City is now 0-7 as the visitor this season...The Thunder next host Minnesota on Friday...Cleveland hosts Golden State, also Friday, to polish off a brief two-game homestand.
