Thunder rout Suns in playoff opener

OKLAHOMA CITY – The reigning NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder began their title defense in dominant fashion Sunday afternoon, dismantling the Phoenix Suns 119-84 in Game 1 of their first-round Western Conference playoff series at the Paycom Center.

After a cold start following a week-long layoff, the top-seeded Thunder ignited in the first quarter. A turning point occurred early when Phoenix’s Dillon Brooks was called for a flagrant-one foul after hitting Chet Holmgren in the face. The incident sparked a 12-2 run for Oklahoma City, capped off by a spectacular three-quarter-court pass from Jaylin Williams to Holmgren, who drained a buzzer-beating three-pointer to put the Thunder up 35-20 after one.

The rout continued through the half, with the Thunder heading to the locker room leading 65-44.

Key Performances

• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: The reigning league MVP led all scorers with 25 points, including a persistent 15-of-17 performance from the free-throw line.
• Jalen Williams: Provided a consistent spark with 22 points.
• Chet Holmgren: Set the tone early, finishing with 16 points and providing the highlight of the night with his first-quarter buzzer-beater.

The Suns struggled to find their rhythm against a swarming Thunder defense, shooting just 34.9% from the field. Devin Booker was the lone bright spot for Phoenix, finishing with 23 points.

Oklahoma City now holds a 1-0 lead in the series. The two teams will return to the Paycom Center for Game 2 on Wednesday, April 22, with tip-off scheduled for 8:30 p.m. CDT.

Series Schedule:

• Game 2: Wed, April 22 @ OKC (8:30 PM)
• Game 3: Sat, April 25 @ Phoenix (2:30 PM)
• Game 4: Mon, April 27 @ Phoenix (12:00 PM)

Wake up with Heavener.news.

Your daily morning briefing on area news, sports, and community events. Free, fast, and straight to your inbox.

[Get your free update HERE.)