Shai Gilgeous-Alexander poured in 28 points and the Oklahoma City Thunder rolled to a dominant 138–89 win over the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday, tying the best 25-game start in NBA history and punching their ticket to the NBA Cup semifinals.
Oklahoma City improved to 24–1, matching the 2015–16 Warriors’ historic opening stretch, and extended its winning streak to a franchise-record 16 games.
Chet Holmgren added 24 points and eight rebounds as the Thunder overwhelmed a shorthanded Suns team from the opening tip. Their previous meeting, a narrow 123–119 Thunder win in group play, suggested another tight battle, but Phoenix played again without Devin Booker, who missed his third straight game with a strained right groin.
Without their star, the Suns never found their footing. Phoenix shot just 39.3% from the field, finished with a season-low point total, and suffered the most lopsided loss in franchise history. Dillon Brooks led the Suns with 16 points but went just 4 of 16 from the floor.
Oklahoma City controlled the game early, taking a 74–48 halftime lead after Jalen Williams drilled a buzzer-beater from deep. Gilgeous-Alexander scored 17 of his 28 in the first half on just eight shots and reached the 20-point mark for the 96th straight game with a breakaway dunk early in the third quarter.
The frustration mounted for Phoenix when Grayson Allen was ejected for a Flagrant 2 foul after shoving Holmgren to the floor while trying to fight through a screen. At the time of the altercation, the Thunder led 94–58 and never looked back.
Up Next
*Suns: Host the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.
Thunder: Head to Las Vegas to face the San Antonio Spurs in Saturday’s NBA Cup semifinal.*
