Game Recap: With no SGA the Thunder shoot the lights out, punt the Suns 128-103

The season-ending gauntlet continued on Friday evening as the Phoenix Suns were tasked with the SGA-less Oklahoma City Thunder. It didn’t matter to OKC as in true Garth Brooks’ fashion, they rolled, winning 128-103. They have swept their season series with Phoenix.

OKC’s fast-paced team first ball movement led to some impressive shot-making. As a team, They shot 56.3% on the night and 53.3% from deep. They had seven players in double figures, with Josh Giddey leading the way with 23 points.

Phoenix shot 39% from deep in the first half, but that quickly dried up in the second half. They shot 26% in the second half. Kevin Durant led the Suns in scoring with 26,

The loss puts the Suns at 43-31 on the year and currently tied with the Kings at 8.5 games out of first. Sacramento plays the Mavs later tonight.

Game Flow

First Half

The game began with a frenetic pace as the Suns were willing to run with the young Thunder. The Phoenix ball movement and penetration led to open three-point opportunities, which the Suns happily accepted. The Suns began 4-of-6 from deep, with Bradley Beal hitting 2 of his first 3.

Kevin Durant was tasked with guarding Chet Holgrem, which put Jusuf Nurkic (who returned from missing one game with an ankle injury) on Josh Giddey. Giddey decided that he should be the aggressor, but 3-of-7 early was playing into the Suns’ game plan. He had 7 of the first 13 Thunder attempts.

Oklahoma City found their success early on the interior, scoring 16 of their first 20 in the paint. The whistle benefitted the Thunder as well, as they did not get called for their first infraction by the officiating crew led by Scott Foster until the 2:26 mark of the quarter. Every 50/50 ball and/or call seemed to go the way of OKC in the first, as they put together a 9-0 run.

Much to our chagrin, it was Drew Eubanks who checked in for Nurkic instead of Thaddeus Young.

Phoenix hung tough, taking 12 three-pointers in the quarter and making 6 of them. The Thunder shot 53.9% from the field to the Suns’ 54.6% in the quarter, adding 15 points from their bench unit to the Suns’ 6. 8 Thunder players scored in the first to total 34 points. Phoenix was led by 9 points from Grayson Allen.

After one, OKC 34, PHX 32.

OKC extended their lead to ten points early in the second quarter as their movement and shooting were keeping constant pressure on the Suns. They hit 9 of their first 13 shots (69.2%) to start the quarter, and three Suns’ turnovers didn’t help their cause, as per usual. The Thunder had 7 points off of them.

Lu Dort was hit with the elusive flopping technical foul midway through the second. With 4:29 in the second quarter, the Thunder committed their first turnover of the game.

Grayson Allen continued to provide the Suns with impressive offense. He had 13 points in the first half, just behind Kevin Durant’s 14. He led all Suns with 11 attempts.

Isaiah Joe has been an issue for the Suns in the past, and his tough three-point shot-making was back tonight. He was 5-of-6 from the field, hit two very difficult three-point shots, and went 4-of-4 from three-point range to total his 14 points off the bench in the first half.

The Thunder bench outscored the Suns bench 32-6 in the first half, and OKC shot 62% overall, including 73% from three (8-of-11). OKC hit 12 of their last 14 field goals to close the half. The Suns' rebounding was their saving grace, as they outrebounded the Thunder 20-11 and had 11 second-chance points.

The 7 first-half turnovers by the Suns led to 11 OKC points, which is what the deficit was heading into the half. OKC 70, PHX 59.

Second Half

A 14-4 run for the Thunder to open the half pushed their lead to 21 points. The Suns started 2-of-10 while OKC was 5-of-6 shooting. The defense that looked solid in the first half was starting to tire, and the en fuego Thunder continued to take advantage.

Devin Booker did not get a call while driving to the rim, so he racked up two quick fouls to put him at four on the night. It wouldn’t take long for Booker to commit his fifth foul, as that occurred at the 4:57 mark in the third. The Suns challenged, but it would not be overturned.

You could feel the wheels that were wobbling starting to fall apart.

An 8-0 Phoenix run late in the quarter cut the Thunder's lead to 18 points, but the third was a tough one for the Suns. Josh Giddey was 5-of-6 in the quarter for 13 points in the third and his team shot 55% from the field. Conversely, the Suns were 8-of-26 (30.8%). The Thunder switched the rebounding scripting, winning that battle 14-11.

After three, OKC 101, Suns 80.

Uh, nothing changed in the fourth. The Thunder continued to kick the Suns around the arena like some stoned Scottsdale Community College kids footing a hacky sack. GO Artichokes.

With 7:34, Frank Vogel threw the reserves in. OKC wins, 128-103. Buh bye now.

Up Next

The road trip continues on Monday as the Suns visit the New Orleans Pelicans. The Pelicans currently are the fifth seed in the Western Conference standings at 45-28.