Thunder jump to 2-0

Oklahoma City beat Phoenix 120-107 on April 22 to take a 2-0 lead in their first-round Western Conference series. (nba.com) Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 37 points and added nine assists in Game 2, while the Thunder pushed their lead to 100-77 by the end of the third quarter. (espn.com) Phoenix cut the deficit with a 20-4 run in the fourth, but Oklahoma City closed it out and matched its Game 1 control after opening the series with a 119-84 win on April 19. (foxsports.com) (espn.com) The series opened in Oklahoma City because the Thunder finished the regular season 64-18, while the Suns entered the bracket at 45-37. Through two games, Oklahoma City has outscored Phoenix 239-191. (espn.com 1) (espn.com 2) That 2-0 edge shifts the series to Phoenix with the Suns now trying to avoid a 3-0 deficit in Game 3 on Saturday, April 25. The NBA schedule lists Game 4 for Monday, April 27, if the series gets that far without a sweep threat changing the stakes. (nba.com 1) (nba.com 2) Game 2 also carried some of the tension that can shape a playoff series. ESPN’s recap said Dillon Brooks and Luguentz Dort received double technical fouls early in the second half after a brief skirmish. (espn.com) Phoenix did get a big scoring night from Brooks, who finished with 30 points in the loss. But the Suns still left Oklahoma City down two games and needing home wins to reset the matchup. (foxsports.com) The immediate question now is whether Phoenix can turn the series back in its own building on April 25, or whether Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder will take a 3-0 lead before the weekend is over. (nba.com)