Suns vs. Thunder: Game 1
Phoenix clinched a playoff spot and will meet Oklahoma City in Round 1 on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC. (x.com) In the Play‑In, Jalen Green poured in 36 points on 14‑of‑20 shooting with eight 3s, joining Stephen Curry as only players with back‑to‑back 35+ point Play‑In games. (x.com)
Phoenix is in the playoffs after a 111-96 Play-In win over Golden State, and its reward is a first-round series against defending champion Oklahoma City that opens Sunday, April 19, at 3:30 p.m. Eastern on ABC. (nba.com) The Suns grabbed the Western Conference’s No. 8 seed Friday night, while the Thunder entered the bracket as the No. 1 seed at 64-18 and will host Game 1 at Paycom Center. (sportsnet.ca) (nba.com) Phoenix got there behind Jalen Green, who scored 36 points on 14-of-20 shooting and hit eight 3-pointers against the Warriors. Devin Booker added 20 points, and Jordan Goodwin finished with 19 points, nine rebounds and six steals. (sportsnet.ca) Oklahoma City had been waiting since the regular season ended to learn its opponent. The Thunder finished 64-18, 19 games ahead of Phoenix’s 45-37 mark, and secured home court for the full series. (espn.com) (nba.com) The matchup puts Shai Gilgeous-Alexander against Booker at the center of the series. NBA.com’s preview framed the assignment plainly: Phoenix needs Booker to carry a heavy scoring load while also trying to slow the reigning Kia Most Valuable Player. (nba.com) The recent head-to-head results are not especially clean as a guide. Phoenix beat Oklahoma City 135-103 in the regular-season finale on April 12, but both teams rested key players, including Gilgeous-Alexander and Booker. (espn.com) (nba.com) An earlier meeting looked more like a playoff-caliber test. On Nov. 28, Gilgeous-Alexander scored 37 points and eight assists in a 123-119 Thunder win over the Suns. (espn.com) The rest of the schedule comes fast. Game 2 is Wednesday, April 22, in Oklahoma City, before the series shifts to Phoenix for Game 3 on Saturday, April 25. (nba.com) Phoenix spent Friday night surviving the Play-In. By Sunday afternoon, it will be opening the postseason against the West’s top seed. (sportsnet.ca)
