The Oklahoma City Thunder faced a tough task against the Cleveland Cavaliers, who have one of the best records in the NBA. With a slim one-point lead entering the fourth quarter, the Thunder aimed to upset the Cavs, who had only lost twice at home. Coach Mark Daigneault made a strategic decision to keep superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on the court to start the final period. However, the Cavaliers responded effectively by deploying a zone defense, disrupting Oklahoma City's offensive flow and limiting their scoring opportunities.

The Thunder struggled significantly against this zone strategy, recording just 0.756 points per possession compared to their more effective 1.137 points per possession against man defense. In the crunch time of the fourth quarter, they committed three turnovers and had a shooting percentage that reflected their discomfort against Cleveland's adjustment. Coach Kenny Atkinson of the Cavaliers highlighted the importance of forcing the Thunder out of their comfort zone, which was crucial to their victory.