OKLAHOMA CITY — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 25 factors, and the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder started their title defence with a 119-84 rout of the Phoenix Suns in Recreation 1 of their first-round Western Convention playoff collection on Sunday.
The reigning league MVP made simply 5 of 18 area objectives however went 15 of 17 on the foul line earlier than sitting out the fourth quarter.
Jalen Williams scored 22 factors and Chet Holmgren added 16 for the top-seeded Thunder, who will host Recreation 2 on Wednesday.
Devin Booker scored 23 factors and Dillon Brooks scored 18 on 6-of-22 taking pictures for the Suns, who shot 34.9 per cent from the sphere. Jalen Inexperienced, who scored 35 and 36 factors in Phoenix’s two play-in video games, had 17 on 6-for-16 taking pictures.
It was the third straight yr that the Thunder earned the highest seed and needed to wait by means of the play-in match to study their first-round opponent. Two seasons in the past, Oklahoma Metropolis beat New Orleans 94-92 in Recreation 1. Final yr, the Thunder routed Memphis 131-80 in Recreation 1 on their technique to the title.
Phoenix claimed the No. 8 seed by defeating the Golden State Warriors on Friday night time. The Suns took an early 5-0 lead Sunday because the Thunder began chilly following per week off.
The Thunder heated up rapidly. Brooks was known as for a flagrant-one foul within the first quarter for hitting Holmgren within the face. The Thunder went on a 12-2 surge after that to take a 24-14 lead.
Within the closing seconds of the quarter, Oklahoma Metropolis’s Jaylin Williams threw a cross about three-quarters of the size of the court docket. Holmgren caught it together with his again to the basket, took one dribble to his proper, then turned and drained a 3-pointer as time expired to place Oklahoma Metropolis up 35-20.
Oklahoma Metropolis prolonged the benefit to 65-44 at halftime. Holmgren had 16 factors and Gilgeous-Alexander had 15 on the break.
Gilgeous-Alexander transformed a three-point play to push Oklahoma Metropolis’s result in 90-63 late within the third quarter, and the Thunder took a 97-66 edge into the fourth.
9 Oklahoma Metropolis gamers noticed no less than 13 minutes of motion.
