Cavaliers beat Thunder in NBA leaders' showdown

It took until the final 12 minutes to determine the winner between the two top franchises of the regular season. In the end, the Cleveland Cavaliers triumphed over the Oklahoma City Thunder, securing a 129-122 victory.

At Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Ohio, the Thunder had a chance to match the Cavs' record. However, the home team seized the opportunity, maintaining their dominant position atop the standings as they have throughout the season.

The Thunder led at the end of the first quarter, 25-32, but the Cavaliers bounced back in the second, taking a 62-59 lead into halftime. In the third quarter, Oklahoma City closed the gap to just one point at 103-102. However, it was the Cavaliers, led by Kenny Atkinson, who ultimately held on to win, finishing with a 129-122 victory.

The Cavaliers' dominance in the paint proved decisive. Jarrett Allen posted a double-double with 25 points and 12 rebounds, while Evan Mobley added 21 points and 10 rebounds. The Cavs' balanced attack saw seven players finish with over 10 points, including Darius Garland with 18 and Donovan Mitchell with 11.

For the Thunder, star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the way with 31 points, while Jalen Williams contributed 25 points. Despite being outmatched by Allen in the paint, Isaiah Hartenstein posted a double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds.

The Denver Nuggets secured their fifth win in the last seven games, defeating the Los Angeles Clippers 126-103, despite playing without Nikola Jokić. Jamal Murray led the way with 21 points in the victory.

The New York Knicks triumphed over the Toronto Raptors 112-98 at Madison Square Garden, while the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the San Antonio Spurs 121-105.