Thunder go up 2‑0

Oklahoma City is halfway to the second round after a 120-107 Game 2 win over Phoenix on Wednesday night put the Thunder up 2-0. (nba.com) Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led Oklahoma City with 37 points and nine assists at Paycom Center, two nights after scoring 25 in the 119-84 Game 1 win. Chet Holmgren added 19 points, eight rebounds and four blocks. (espn.com) The game turned in the third quarter, when Oklahoma City stretched a 65-57 halftime lead to 100-77 by the end of the period. Phoenix committed 21 turnovers, and the Thunder shot 47.3% from the field. (espn.com) The biggest immediate concern is Jalen Williams, who left in the third quarter with a left hamstring injury and did not return. Williams had 19 points on 7-for-11 shooting and had made his first six field goals before exiting. (nba.com) Coach Mark Daigneault said after the game that the Thunder would “take a look at it over the next couple of days,” according to NBA.com. Williams had already missed 49 games this season, including a six-week absence tied to a right hamstring issue after offseason wrist surgery. (nba.com) The standings made this matchup look lopsided before the series started. Oklahoma City finished 64-18 as the No. 1 seed in the West, while Phoenix entered at 45-37 as the No. 8 seed. (espn.com) The early playoff results have reinforced that gap. NBA.com said Oklahoma City’s young core is now 10-0 in first-round playoff games, with those wins coming by an average of 18.9 points. (nba.com) Sportsbooks moved the Thunder to the front of the title market by Thursday. FanDuel listed Oklahoma City at -130 to win the 2026 NBA championship, ahead of Boston at +600 and San Antonio at +700. (fanduel.com) Phoenix still gets the next two games at home, starting with Game 3 on Saturday, April 25, at 3:30 p.m. Eastern on Peacock and NBC. The series returns to Arizona with Oklahoma City holding the edge on the scoreboard and waiting on Williams’ hamstring. (nba.com)