The lights weren’t too bright for Jarrett Allen in the biggest regular season game of the year. As the hype began to surround Wednesday’s historic contest between the Cavs and the Thunder, whispers of Cleveland’s 2023 playoff failure — a humbling first-round exit at the hands of the New York Knicks — still echoed.

Things We Learned From All-Time Matchup It's safe to say the Cavs and Thunder delivered a January showdown for the ages.

The superteams era is over. Deep rosters, versatile lineups and a relentless style of play are proving to be the best path to success.