OKLAHOMA CITY — The Phoenix Suns lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night, 120-107. The team put together a much more balanced offensive approach, but just like Game 1, the team committed too many turnovers and allowed the Thunder’s big three of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Wiliams and Chet Holmgren to have efficient offensive games. Gilgeous-Alexander led the game in scoring with 37. Dillon Brooks, Jalen Green and Devin Booker combined for 73.
The game was a single digit contest at
half, but as the second half went on, Oklahoma City started to run away with the game. Nothing looked easy for the Suns. Even baskets were going in. It felt like the Thunder were on the verge of blowing the game open and they did exactly that, except for a little run that the Suns made late.
Phoenix is now down two games to zero in the series before it shifts to Phoenix for Game 3. Undermanned and undersized, the Suns continue to get outmatched as elimination creeps closer and closer in on them.
The Suns were once again without Mark Williams and Grayson Allen, and Jordan Goodwin missed the game with a calf injury. In Williams and Goodwin’s places, Collin Gillespie and Oso Ighodaro started.
Game Flow
First Half
Just like in Game 1, the Suns kept pace with the Thunder early on, taking a 12-10 lead. Phoenix hit six of their first nine shots with Dillon Brooks leading the way with a quick seven points. When the first timeout was called midway through the first, Oklahoma City led 17-14. Phoenix was doing a better job on the offensive glass, which didn’t allow the Thunder to get second chance opportunities. What prevented the Suns from taking a lead was turnovers. Oklahoma City pressured Phoenix’s ball handlers into tough decisions and errant passes.
At the end of one, the Thunder led the Suns 30-29.
A Royce O’Neale three gave the Suns their first triple gave Phoenix their first lead outside of the first quarter in the series. Right after, Phoenix had a costly offensive turnover and the Thunder went on a 8-0 run to force the Suns into a timeout, which helped the Suns settle down. Oklahoma City’s lead hovered between 2-7 points because the Suns were hitting tough shots and capitalizing on second chance points, but the Thunder were matching them. Jalen Green started to get it going, he had 12 in the quarter.
What continued to hurt the Suns was turnovers. The Suns got down double digits for the first time when they started turning the ball over and the Thunder were capitalizing. The Suns had 11 turnovers in the first half.
After two, Oklahoma City led Phoenix 65-57.
Second Half
The Thunder started the second hot out the gate with a 12-6 run that got Jordan Ott to call timeout. Oklahoma had their largest lead of the night. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander started to get it going and the Thunder were having a block party inside.
As the quarter went on, the Thunder’s lead only expanded thanks to turnovers and not capitalizing on second chance opportunities. Jalen Williams exited the game for Oklahoma City midway through the third but it didn’t impact their lead; they kept on strolling without him, picking up their first 20+ point lead of the game.
OKC got their lead up to 26 to start the fourth, but Phoenix went on a 20-4 run to get the deficit cut to 10 with 3:46 left. The rest of the game, the Thunder cruised away with minimal disruption.
Up Next
The Suns will head home for Game 3, likely as heavy underdogs for matchup. No NBA team has ever comeback from down 3-0 so for the Suns to want to make a comeback, it’s going to have to start with a Game 3 victory.
