Thunder roll past Suns 119-84 in lopsided playoff opener
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OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma City Thunder launched their title defense with a commanding 119-84 victory over the Phoenix Suns in Game 1 of the Western Conference first round on Sunday afternoon at Paycom Center.
Key numbers
• Oklahoma City led by double digits for the final 38:06.
• The 35-point margin makes the Thunder the first team since the 1986-87 Los Angeles Lakers to begin consecutive postseasons with wins of at least 35 points, according to ESPN Research.
• A 34-2 edge in points off turnovers marked the largest differential recorded in a playoff game during the play-by-play era.
How it happened
Phoenix scored the game’s first five points before turnovers began to pile up. The Thunder, owners of the NBA’s top-ranked defense in each of the past two regular seasons, converted 19 Suns giveaways into 34 points and closed the opening quarter ahead 34-19. The gap swelled to 21 at halftime and 31 after three quarters.
Top performers
• Reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 25 points and seven assists despite shooting 5-for-18 and sitting out the fourth quarter.
• Jalen Williams added 22 points, seven rebounds and six assists. “How hard can we play to set the tone?” Williams said of Oklahoma City’s approach.
• Phoenix’s Devin Booker noted the turnover issues, saying they “fuels them, fuels the crowd.”
Suns face quick turnaround
Sunday’s matinee tipped less than 48 hours after Phoenix defeated the Golden State Warriors in the play-in finale and traveled to Oklahoma. “Every time you’re playing against them, you’ve got to value the ball,” Suns coach Jordan Ott said. “We did not do that.”
What’s next
Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is scheduled for Tuesday night in Oklahoma City. “This team is going to get better throughout the series,” Gilgeous-Alexander said of the Suns. “We’ve got to be ready to get better as well.”
Source: ESPN
