Thunder complete first‑round sweep

Oklahoma City beat Phoenix 131-122 on Monday night to complete a 4-0 first-round sweep and become the first team into the Western Conference semifinals. (nba.com) (cbssports.com) Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31 points and handed out eight assists in Game 4, while Chet Holmgren added 24 points and 12 rebounds. Isaiah Hartenstein scored 18 points for Oklahoma City. (nba.com) (oklahoman.com) Phoenix kept Game 4 closer than the first three games, but Oklahoma City seized control by ending the first half on a 27-12 run. The Thunder shot 54% from the field, went 17-for-34 from 3-point range, and hit 26 of 30 free throws. (nba.com) The sweep came with Jalen Williams sidelined for a second straight game by a left hamstring strain. Oklahoma City still averaged 122.8 points across the four games, while Phoenix averaged 105.5. (nba.com) (oklahoman.com) For Oklahoma City, the result keeps a recent playoff pattern intact. CBS Sports said this is the Thunder’s third straight first-round sweep, and NBA.com said it is the franchise’s third straight trip to the Western Conference semifinals. (cbssports.com) (nba.com) The bracket is now simpler for the defending champions than it is for most of the field. Oklahoma City will face either the Los Angeles Lakers or the Houston Rockets in the second round, while every other 2026 first-round series was still active after Monday’s games. (cbssports.com) Phoenix’s season is over after entering the playoffs as the No. 8 seed. USA Today said the Suns now turn to an offseason shaped by an early exit against the reigning champions. (usatoday.com) Oklahoma City got the fast finish it wanted. Four games were enough, and the Thunder are the first team in this postseason to stop playing and start waiting. (cbssports.com)