The Phoenix Suns had a very tough time tonight. It was all Thunder from the jump. The Suns were outplayed in every phase of the game, and that was that. OKC led by as many as 37.
They are 32-23 heading
into the All-Star Break, and they enter having lost 3 of their last 4 games. Not ideal, but at least they will more than likely have Devin Booker and Jalen Green back.
Dillon Brooks will be suspended for their first game back from the break against the Spurs, unless it is rescinded. Here is the path ahead for him:
Game Flow
First Half
Royce O’Neale kicked off the night with a splash from deep on the opening possession of the game. It was a fast-paced game early on, with the teams trading buckets and pushing in transition.
Suns wing Dillon Brooks was not shy, which was expected in a game without Booker, Green, and Allen.
The teams were tied at 12 apiece through the opening 3:20 of the game. OKC then went on a push propelled by their bench to push them to a 23-16 lead with 5 minutes left in the first.
Jordan Ott called for a timeout with 3:26 remaining in the quarter after the Thunder pulled ahead by eight, 28-20. The three-ball was not falling, and OKC was getting buckets with ease off the drive, extending their lead to 12.
Mark Williams and Royce O’Neale led the Suns with 6 points each after the opening quarter. Phoenix trailed 37-25. The Thunder were paced by 9 early points from Luguentz Dort.
The second quarter started with more of the same, with the Thunder pushing their lead up to 18, 52-34. The shots weren’t falling for Phoenix, and Oklahoma City made them pay early and often.
Kenrich Williams lost the ball out of bounds, and it was clearly off him, only for the official to miss the call and give it to the Thunder. He then, of course, drilled a three as the shot clock expired.
Then Dillon Brooks let the refs know about it, picking up that magical 16th technical foul of the season.
Things started to snowball, with the Thunder hitting the bonus halfway through the 2nd quarter, and drilling three after three from deep. It was all Thunder in the second quarter; they led 75-52 entering the break. Their bench poured in 41 points, opposed to Phoenix’s 12 bench points in the opening 24 minutes.
There wasn’t much to write home about in the first half.
Second Half
Dillon Brooks scored five points in the first 2 minutes to spark a little bit of life into what looked like a lifeless team heading into halftime.
As the Thunder tend to do, they matched every punch thrown their way by the Suns and kept their lead intact. They went on an 11-0 run to push their lead out to 92-60.
Jalen Williams was absolutely torching them in every way possible in his return home. He was 11 for 11 with 26 points in 19 minutes with 4:30 left in the third. The Suns had no answer for him…. or anyone else for that matter.
I’ll spare you the full breakdown and recap it like this: The Thunders didn’t miss very often, and their bench played like the ’93 Chicago Bulls.
Garbage time unleashed some rookie minutes for Rasheer Fleming, Khaman Maluach, and even Koby Brea. The 4th quarter was slightly less brutal and somewhat enjoyable at times for the sickos that stuck around.
Koby Brea made some threes. Woo!
Up Next
The All-Star Break! It’s much needed. We get to see Devin Booker in the 3PT contest and ASG, and Mat Ishbia in the Celebrity Game. Plus, the rest of the squad gets to regroup for a playoff push.
