NBA Playoffs: OKC vs. Phoenix
The NBA playoff bracket is set and Oklahoma City opens a first‑round series against Phoenix as schedules and TV slots were posted. Coverage places OKC among title favorites in several staff roundups while outlets published the Thunder‑Suns game times and channels for the opening round (espn.com) (oklahoman.com) (nytimes.com).
Oklahoma City opens its first-round series Sunday, April 19, against Phoenix after the Suns claimed the Western Conference’s No. 8 seed Friday night. (espn.com) Game 1 is set for 3:30 p.m. Eastern, 2:30 p.m. in Oklahoma City, on ABC at Paycom Center, and Game 2 is scheduled for Wednesday, April 22, at 9 p.m. Eastern on ESPN. (espn.com) (oklahoman.com) The series shifts to Phoenix for Game 3 on Friday, April 24, and Game 4 on Sunday, April 26, with the later games still listed as to be determined. (oklahoman.com) Oklahoma City enters as the West’s No. 1 seed at 64-18, while Phoenix arrives at 45-37 after surviving the play-in. ESPN’s matchup page lists the Thunder as 3-2 winners in the regular-season series. (espn.com) Phoenix locked up the berth by beating Golden State in the play-in on April 17. NBA.com’s game summary said the Suns jumped out 33-15 after one quarter and avoided losing both home play-in games. (nba.com) The bracket gives Oklahoma City home court throughout the Western Conference playoffs, and ESPN’s playoff coverage lists the Thunder among the teams chasing a return to the NBA Finals after winning the No. 1 seed in the West for a third straight year. (espn.com) The recent head-to-head results cut both ways. ESPN’s series log shows Oklahoma City won the first four meetings before Phoenix took the April 12 regular-season finale, 135-103, in a game where NBA.com’s box score listed Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams among the Thunder players out. (espn.com) (nba.com) For now, the immediate picture is set: Phoenix came through the play-in, Oklahoma City kept the conference’s best record, and the series starts Sunday afternoon on ABC. (espn.com)
