OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma City Thunder are no longer the scrappy underdogs as they launch their championship defense Sunday at home facing the Phoenix Suns.
While Oklahoma City maintains its status as one of the NBA’s youngest rosters, reigning Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander now commands a battle-tested squad that survived two grueling seven-game playoff series last season, culminating in an NBA Finals victory over the Indiana Pacers.
The Thunder followed their championship run by compiling the NBA’s top regular season mark at 64-18, edging out the San Antonio Spurs for home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. Oklahoma City now faces the fresh challenge of defending their crown.
“This playoff run is so unique and so different to the last one, and we have to have the ability to understand that every series is going to be different, every game is going be different,” Thunder guard/forward Jalen Williams said.
Oklahoma City enters the postseason on fire, capturing 19 victories in their final 20 contests before resting key players in the season’s final two games. The Thunder have suffered just one defeat since the All-Star break with Gilgeous-Alexander active, and their most recent home loss with him came January 25 against Toronto.
Gilgeous-Alexander ranked second league-wide with 31.1 points per contest. All-Star teammate Chet Holmgren contributed 17.1 points and 8.9 assists while finishing second in the NBA with 1.9 blocks per game.
However, Oklahoma City’s championship path won’t come easily. Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault emphasized that despite Phoenix earning their playoff spot through the play-in tournament, the Suns represent a legitimate postseason threat deserving respect. Phoenix concluded the regular season 45-37 and advanced to the NBA Cup quarterfinals. All-Star Devin Booker contributed 26.1 points and six assists nightly.
Suns head coach Jordan Ott expressed pride in his team’s recovery from Tuesday’s play-in tournament defeat to Portland, bouncing back with Friday’s victory over Golden State to claim the eighth seed.
“I think that the group that’s in that locker room has a ton of resilience and wants to do things different, and that’s what we stress from the get-go,” Ott said. “And sometimes the road’s not always the one that you choose and think it’s going to happen or the one that’s most traveled. Sometimes, it’s the least traveled. So we found our way in. Now, it’s onto the next thing.”
Three prominent members of Canada’s national squad will feature in this matchup — Gilgeous-Alexander and defensive specialist Lu Dort representing the Thunder, with Dillon Brooks suiting up for the Suns.
Brooks stands among the league’s premier defenders and most effective agitators. He posted a career-best 20.2 points this season.
Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell entered last year’s playoffs battling through multiple injuries. As a rookie, he saw limited postseason action.
This season, Mitchell has become crucial to Oklahoma City’s success while establishing himself among the NBA’s elite bench players. He improved from 6.5 points last season to 13.6 this year.
Williams endured the entire previous playoff run with a hand injury requiring surgical repair. This season, he missed 19 games early while recovering from that procedure and 30 additional contests healing from a hamstring problem.
He’s now fully healthy and prepared for action.
“I feel extremely fresh because I played, like, 12 games,” he said.
Phoenix’s Jalen Green delivered explosive performances in both play-in contests. He scored 35 points in the Portland loss, then erupted for 36 in the Golden State Warriors victory.
That production significantly exceeds his 17.8-point regular season average. Green’s recent surge will challenge the Thunder’s defensive planning between focusing on him or Booker.
“I’m very comfortable playing up there with Book,” Green said. “You kind of have to pick your poison of how you’re going to guard it. Even if it’s a heavy shift or not, we kind of play off each other in that situation.”
Oklahoma City captured three of five regular season encounters. In the most significant meetings, the Thunder demolished the Suns 138-89 during NBA Cup play, while Phoenix responded with a 108-105 victory in their building on January 4.
