Suns dominate OKC

Phoenix closed the regular season with a 135-103 win at Oklahoma City on Sunday, then learned it would host Portland in the Western Conference play-in on Tuesday. (espn.com) (nba.com) Jamaree Bouyea scored a career-high 27 points and handed out nine assists for Phoenix, while Ryan Dunn added 20 points and 11 rebounds and Koby Brea scored 20 more. The Suns did not play any starters and still led 26-5 after a 21-0 opening run. (espn.com) Oklahoma City also treated the game like a rest night. Brandon Carlson scored a career-high 26 points, Payton Sandfort added 23, and Lu Dort was the only regular starter to play after the Thunder had already secured the top overall seed. (espn.com) The result did not move Phoenix out of seventh place, but the rest of Sunday’s Western Conference games fixed the bracket around it. Portland beat Sacramento 122-110 to claim the eighth seed, and the Los Angeles Clippers beat Golden State 115-110 to send the Warriors to 10th. (nba.com) (espn.com) That left the West play-in pairings set for April 14: Portland at Phoenix in the No. 7 versus No. 8 game, and Golden State at the Clippers in the No. 9 versus No. 10 game. The winner of Suns-Trail Blazers gets the seventh seed and a first-round series against San Antonio. (espn.com 1) (espn.com 2) The final standings show how narrow the margin was around Phoenix. The Suns finished 45-37, while Portland and the Clippers both finished 42-40 and Golden State finished 37-45, locking Phoenix into home court for its first play-in game. (espn.com) Oklahoma City finished 64-18, best in the National Basketball Association, and will open the playoffs at home on Sunday. The Thunder’s loss was their second straight, their first two-game skid since late January, but it did not affect their seed. (espn.com) Phoenix now gets one clean path after a lopsided finale: beat Portland on Tuesday and the Suns are in, lose and they get one more game for the West’s last playoff spot. (espn.com)