Gilgeous-Alexander scores 37 as the Thunder beat the Suns to go up 2-0
in their 1st-round series
[April 23, 2026]
By CLIFF BRUNT
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 37
points and nine assists, and the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the
Phoenix Suns 120-107 on Wednesday night to take a 2-0 lead in their
first-round Western Conference playoff series.
Gilgeous-Alexander scored 25 points in the series-opening win on Sunday,
going 5 for 18 from the field. He bounced back in Game 2 with 13-for-25
shooting after being presented the NBA Clutch Player of the Year trophy
before the game. |
Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren, left, dunks over Phoenix
Suns guard Jalen Green during the second half in Game 2 of a first-round
NBA playoffs basketball series Wednesday, April 22, 2026, in Oklahoma
City. (AP Photo/Kyle Phillips) |
|
Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams each added 19 points for
Oklahoma City, though Williams left the game in the third
quarter with a left hamstring injury and did not return.
Williams, an All-Star in 2024-25, missed 30 games this season
with a right hamstring injury after missing the first 19 games
of the season following surgery on his right wrist.
Five higher-seeded teams had lost home games in the first week
of the playoffs before Wednesday, including the top three seeds
in the Eastern Conference, Detroit, Boston and New York, and the
No. 2 and 3 seeds in the West, San Antonio and Denver. Oklahoma
City avoided that fate by shooting 47.3% from the field and
forcing 21 turnovers.
Dillon Brooks led the Suns with 30 points before fouling out in
the fourth quarter. Devin Booker scored 22 points and Jalen
Green added 21 for Phoenix, which will host Game 3 on Saturday.
The Thunder led 65-57 at halftime. Williams made his first six
field goals and had 19 points at the break, while Gilgeous-Alexander
had 17 points on 7-for-13 shooting.
The action picked up early in the second half as Brooks and
Oklahoma City's Lu Dort — both members of Canada's national team
— got double technical fouls after a brief skirmish following a
made free throw.
Holmgren started the second half hot. He scored eight points in
just over four minutes to help the Thunder go up 77-63 and force
a Phoenix timeout. Oklahoma City extended the lead to 100-77 at
the end of the third quarter.
Oklahoma City pushed the lead to 26 points early in the fourth
quarter before Phoenix made a final push. Booker made a pull-up
jumper and was fouled. He missed the free throw, but he
rebounded and made a mid-range jumper to cut Oklahoma City's
lead to 110-97 with five minutes to play. The Suns got no closer
than 10 points.
All contents © copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights
reserved |
|
|
