Jake LaRavia is proving that hang time can be overrated, while a Phoenix rookie has turned into a long snapper.

The Cavs are rolling thanks in large part to Garland's play, but the East — and Cleveland's — backcourt is a crowded one.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander made his latest statement in an MVP-worthy season with another 40-point performance Thursday night.

Alexander, the NBA’s leading scorer at 31.6 points per game, missed his first game of the season against the Dallas Mavericks with a sore right wrist.

SGA: 54-8-5 + 2 steals – Dub: 25-3-2 + 2 steals – Cason: 13 and 3 rebounds – Wiggs: 10 and 4 rebounds – Caruso: 7-3-5 +

The first meeting between these teams was about the Cavaliers offense. The rematch was about the Thunder defense.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored a career-high 54 points to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 123-114 home win over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday.

The Thunder handed the Cavaliers their worst loss of the season to leave the two conference leaders each with 34-6 records.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 40 points to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 134-114 home win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday. The game was a marquee matchup between the two teams with the NBA's best records.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 40 points and eight assists ... which won its fourth straight. Darius Garland had 20 points and nine assists for Cleveland, and Jarrett Allen added ...

A review from start to finish. That was the impressive performance by the Oklahoma City Thunder, who steamrolled the Cleveland Cavaliers 134-114, leading by more than 40 points and

Darius Garland had 20 points and nine assists ... The Thunder closed the first quarter on a 22-2 run to take a 32-14 lead. Gilgeous-Alexander scored 15 points in the opening period.