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Phoenix Suns logo
PHXPhoenix Suns
114
Oklahoma City Thunder logo
OKCOklahoma City Thunder
125Winner
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4Final
PHX27263229114
OKC33343426125

Game analysis: Phoenix Suns at Oklahoma City Thunder

How the Thunder Beat the Suns

Oklahoma City's relentless interior attack gave Phoenix a problem it never solved. The Thunder seized control late in the first quarter and carried a 14-point lead into halftime, but the Suns made their strongest push by closing to within one in the second. Oklahoma City answered that threat with an 8–0 run that restored a nine-point cushion, and Phoenix never got that close again. Ajay Mitchell scored a team-high 30 points, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 26, and Isaiah Hartenstein anchored a 49–38 rebounding advantage with 13 boards as the Thunder overcame four more turnovers and five fewer assists.

The biggest reason

Paint Dominance

Points in the paintOKC 50vsPHX 38

Also mattered

  • +9%Field-goal shooting
  • +11Rebounds
  • +14%Free-throw shooting

Game flow

When the lead changed

PHXOKC

PHX's biggest lead was 1 point · OKC's was 24 points · 2 lead changes

-250+25Q1 11:26 · PHX 0–OKC 2Q1 10:32 · PHX 1–OKC 2Q1 10:16 · PHX 1–OKC 4Q1 9:52 · PHX 3–OKC 4Q1 9:34 · PHX 3–OKC 6Q1 9:07 · PHX 5–OKC 6Q1 7:59 · PHX 5–OKC 8Q1 7:47 · PHX 7–OKC 8Q1 7:19 · PHX 9–OKC 8Q1 7:02 · PHX 9–OKC 9Q1 7:02 · PHX 9–OKC 10Q1 6:32 · PHX 9–OKC 12Q1 5:28 · PHX 11–OKC 12Q1 5:02 · PHX 11–OKC 15Q1 4:40 · PHX 13–OKC 15Q1 3:56 · PHX 13–OKC 18Q1 3:36 · PHX 16–OKC 18Q1 3:21 · PHX 16–OKC 21Q1 3:10 · PHX 19–OKC 21Q1 2:46 · PHX 19–OKC 24Q1 2:28 · PHX 22–OKC 24Q1 1:53 · PHX 23–OKC 24Q1 1:53 · PHX 24–OKC 24Q1 1:44 · PHX 24–OKC 26Q1 1:26 · PHX 24–OKC 28Q1 1:26 · PHX 24–OKC 29Q1 56.6 · PHX 24–OKC 31Q1 35.0 · PHX 24–OKC 32Q1 35.0 · PHX 24–OKC 33Q1 6.5 · PHX 27–OKC 33Q2 11:23 · PHX 27–OKC 35Q2 9:50 · PHX 30–OKC 35Q2 9:35 · PHX 30–OKC 38Q2 8:49 · PHX 33–OKC 38Q2 8:07 · PHX 33–OKC 40Q2 7:53 · PHX 35–OKC 40Q2 7:40 · PHX 35–OKC 42Q2 7:40 · PHX 35–OKC 43Q2 7:30 · PHX 37–OKC 43Q2 7:07 · PHX 37–OKC 45Q2 6:51 · PHX 39–OKC 45Q2 6:26 · PHX 40–OKC 45Q2 6:26 · PHX 41–OKC 45Q2 5:20 · PHX 44–OKC 45Q2 5:05 · PHX 44–OKC 46Q2 5:05 · PHX 44–OKC 47Q2 4:45 · PHX 44–OKC 49Q2 4:45 · PHX 44–OKC 50Q2 4:23 · PHX 44–OKC 53Q2 4:05 · PHX 46–OKC 53Q2 3:44 · PHX 46–OKC 55Q2 3:23 · PHX 46–OKC 57Q2 2:16 · PHX 46–OKC 59Q2 2:07 · PHX 47–OKC 59Q2 1:54 · PHX 47–OKC 61Q2 1:04 · PHX 50–OKC 61Q2 39.5 · PHX 50–OKC 64Q2 18.5 · PHX 50–OKC 67Q2 0.2 · PHX 53–OKC 67Q3 11:12 · PHX 54–OKC 67Q3 11:12 · PHX 55–OKC 67Q3 10:43 · PHX 57–OKC 67Q3 10:31 · PHX 57–OKC 69Q3 10:02 · PHX 57–OKC 71Q3 9:15 · PHX 58–OKC 71Q3 9:15 · PHX 59–OKC 71Q3 8:49 · PHX 61–OKC 71Q3 8:41 · PHX 61–OKC 73Q3 8:03 · PHX 61–OKC 75Q3 7:48 · PHX 63–OKC 75Q3 7:26 · PHX 63–OKC 77Q3 7:13 · PHX 66–OKC 77Q3 6:56 · PHX 66–OKC 79Q3 6:17 · PHX 66–OKC 81Q3 6:04 · PHX 68–OKC 81Q3 5:46 · PHX 68–OKC 84Q3 5:04 · PHX 69–OKC 84Q3 4:45 · PHX 69–OKC 86Q3 4:08 · PHX 69–OKC 88Q3 3:35 · PHX 72–OKC 88Q3 3:15 · PHX 72–OKC 91Q3 3:03 · PHX 73–OKC 91Q3 2:29 · PHX 76–OKC 91Q3 1:34 · PHX 78–OKC 91Q3 1:34 · PHX 79–OKC 91Q3 1:23 · PHX 79–OKC 93Q3 1:23 · PHX 79–OKC 94Q3 1:10 · PHX 82–OKC 94Q3 50.6 · PHX 82–OKC 97Q3 39.3 · PHX 85–OKC 97Q3 22.3 · PHX 85–OKC 99Q3 2.4 · PHX 85–OKC 100Q3 2.4 · PHX 85–OKC 101Q4 11:39 · PHX 87–OKC 101Q4 11:28 · PHX 87–OKC 102Q4 11:28 · PHX 87–OKC 103Q4 10:27 · PHX 87–OKC 105Q4 10:14 · PHX 90–OKC 105Q4 9:44 · PHX 90–OKC 106Q4 9:44 · PHX 90–OKC 107Q4 9:44 · PHX 91–OKC 107Q4 9:35 · PHX 91–OKC 106Q4 9:27 · PHX 93–OKC 107Q4 9:10 · PHX 93–OKC 109Q4 7:56 · PHX 93–OKC 111Q4 7:23 · PHX 93–OKC 114Q4 7:00 · PHX 94–OKC 114Q4 7:00 · PHX 95–OKC 114Q4 6:46 · PHX 95–OKC 115Q4 6:16 · PHX 95–OKC 116Q4 6:16 · PHX 95–OKC 117Q4 6:08 · PHX 95–OKC 118Q4 6:08 · PHX 95–OKC 119Q4 5:53 · PHX 98–OKC 119Q4 5:36 · PHX 98–OKC 121Q4 5:06 · PHX 99–OKC 121Q4 5:06 · PHX 98–OKC 121Q4 5:06 · PHX 100–OKC 121Q4 4:40 · PHX 102–OKC 121Q4 4:02 · PHX 104–OKC 121Q4 3:44 · PHX 104–OKC 122Q4 3:44 · PHX 104–OKC 123Q4 3:30 · PHX 104–OKC 124Q4 3:02 · PHX 107–OKC 124Q4 2:43 · PHX 107–OKC 126Q4 2:43 · PHX 107–OKC 127Q4 2:29 · PHX 109–OKC 127Q4 1:25 · PHX 112–OKC 127Q4 1:03 · PHX 114–OKC 127Q4 0:00 · PHX 114–OKC 125Q1Q2Q3Q4

Quarter-by-quarter momentum

Quarter winners and scoring margin
  1. Q1
    Phoenix Suns logoPHX27
    Oklahoma City Thunder logoOKC33
    OKC won by 6
  2. Q2Biggest margin
    Phoenix Suns logoPHX26
    Oklahoma City Thunder logoOKC34
    OKC won by 8
  3. Q3
    Phoenix Suns logoPHX32
    Oklahoma City Thunder logoOKC34
    OKC won by 2
  4. Q4
    Phoenix Suns logoPHX29
    Oklahoma City Thunder logoOKC26
    PHX won by 3

Game turning points

Moments identified from the scoring timeline
  1. Final lead changeQ1 · 1:44

    Oklahoma City Thunder went ahead and did not trail again.

    Phoenix Suns logoPHX 24OKC 26Oklahoma City Thunder logo

Momentum swings

Key runs

5 runs · 7+ unanswered points
  1. Q1 · 1:44–35.0Largest run
    Oklahoma City Thunder logoOklahoma City Thunder9–0run

    PHX 24 – OKC 24PHX 24 – OKC 33

  2. Q2 · 6:51–5:20
    Phoenix Suns logoPhoenix Suns7–0run

    PHX 37 – OKC 45PHX 44 – OKC 45

  3. Q2 · 5:05–4:23
    Oklahoma City Thunder logoOklahoma City Thunder8–0run

    PHX 44 – OKC 45PHX 44 – OKC 53

  4. Q3 · 3:03–1:34
    Phoenix Suns logoPhoenix Suns7–0run

    PHX 72 – OKC 91PHX 79 – OKC 91

  5. Q4 · 9:10–7:23
    Oklahoma City Thunder logoOklahoma City Thunder7–0run

    PHX 93 – OKC 107PHX 93 – OKC 114

Players who shaped the game

Player impact

From the box score
Phoenix Suns logo

Phoenix Suns

PHX
  1. Leading scorerJalen Green
    20PTS4REB4AST0STL1BLK
  2. Impact contributorDillon Brooks
    19PTS5REB5AST2STL1BLK
  3. Impact contributorMiles Bridges
    17PTS8REB4AST1STL0BLK
Oklahoma City Thunder logo

Oklahoma City Thunder

OKC
  1. Leading scorerAjay Mitchell
    30PTS2REB5AST0STL1BLK
  2. Impact contributorShai Gilgeous-Alexander
    26PTS3REB3AST0STL2BLK
  3. Impact contributorIsaiah Hartenstein
    15PTS13REB3AST0STL0BLK

Team performance

Biggest advantages and setbacks

What the winner did best—and what it overcame

Advantages

  1. Field-goal shootingWinner edge

    Oklahoma City Thunder had a 9 percentage points edge in field-goal shooting.

    PHX 42%OKC 51%
  2. Total reboundsWinner edge

    Oklahoma City Thunder had a 11 edge in total rebounds.

    PHX 38OKC 49
  3. Free-throw shootingWinner edge

    Oklahoma City Thunder had a 14 percentage points edge in free-throw shooting.

    PHX 72%OKC 86%

Setbacks

  1. StealsOpponent edge

    Oklahoma City Thunder trailed in steals by 4.

    PHX 7OKC 3
  2. TurnoversOpponent edge

    Oklahoma City Thunder committed 4 more turnovers than Phoenix Suns.

    PHX 13OKC 17
  3. AssistsOpponent edge

    Oklahoma City Thunder trailed in assists by 5.

    PHX 29OKC 24

The numbers behind the win

Evidence

6 signals

Paint scoring

Oklahoma City consistently generated more scoring inside, giving the Thunder their clearest direct scoring advantage.

Phoenix Suns logoPHX38
Oklahoma City Thunder logoOKC50

Shooting efficiency

The Thunder converted their opportunities at a substantially higher rate across the game.

Phoenix Suns logoPHX42%
Oklahoma City Thunder logoOKC51%

Rebounding

Oklahoma City controlled the overall rebounding battle despite Phoenix collecting two more offensive rebounds.

Phoenix Suns logoPHX38
Oklahoma City Thunder logoOKC49

Defensive rebounding

The Thunder's largest rebounding edge came on the defensive glass, where they secured substantially more misses.

Phoenix Suns logoPHX24
Oklahoma City Thunder logoOKC37

Ajay Mitchell

30 PTS, 10-16 FG, 9-10 FT

Mitchell delivered Oklahoma City's highest individual scoring total with efficient production from the field and free-throw line.

Editorial turning point

Oklahoma City's 8-0 run from 5:05 to 4:23 in the second quarter

Phoenix had cut an eight-point deficit to one, but Oklahoma City immediately answered by stretching the lead back to nine, and the Suns never regained the lead.

This game’s Winning DNA

How Oklahoma City Thunder got it done.

The winning formula behind this game.

Oklahoma City Thunder logo

Oklahoma City Thunder

Paint Dominance
35%
Rebounding
30%
Superstar Performance
25%
Defense
10%

Editorial weights for this game — not fan-vote percentages or official NBA statistics.

Team Comparison

Phoenix Suns logoPhoenix Suns114 PTSVSPaycom CenterOklahoma City Thunder logoOklahoma City Thunder125 PTS
39-92FG44-86
18-503PT12-32
18-25FT25-29
38REB49
29AST24
7STL3
5BLK7
13TO17

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