Phoenix Suns eager to avenge historic NBA loss to Oklahoma City Thunder
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Phoenix Suns' Oso Ighodaro dunking over Maxime Raynaud of the Sacramento Kings during the first half of the Suns' 129-102 NBA win at Mortgage Matchup Center on Jan 2.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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PHOENIX – The Phoenix Suns have their first chance to avenge their worst loss in franchise history when they host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Jan 4 (Jan 5 morning, Singapore time).
Reigning National Basketball Association (NBA) champions Oklahoma City beat the Suns 138-89 in the NBA Cup quarter-finals at home on Dec 10. Phoenix’s previous worst defeat was a 129-81 loss to the San Antonio Spurs in the 2017-18 season.
Phoenix could see the rematch coming, even as they blew out the Sacramento Kings 129-102 on Jan 2.
“We’re definitely not in the position to overlook any team,” said Suns guard Devin Booker, who had 33 points against the Kings. “We’ll never be in that position, so we handled the task that was at hand.
“We know we have a really good team coming in, and I think we are all looking forward to it.”
The Thunder blasted the depleted Golden State Warriors 131-94 on Jan 2 in San Francisco as Warriors starters Stephen Curry (ankle), Jimmy Butler (illness) and Draymond Green (rest) did not play.
Such has been their dominance that the Western Conference leaders will head into their clash against the Suns as the overwhelming favourites.
“From box to wire, it was just a really consistent effort,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “We went out, earned a win, got better, built our habits. It was a really professional win.”
Reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 30 points against Golden State – the same day he was announced as Sports Illustrated’s 2025 Sportsperson of the Year – while Chet Holmgren was all over the stat sheet with 15 points, 15 rebounds, four assists, four blocked shots and one steal in just 26 minutes.
“It’s the invisible things, too,” Daigneault added of Holmgren, in a warning sign to the Suns that it is not just Gilgeous-Alexander who is a key player.
“It’s the amount of plays that he impacts positively for the team you can’t put a value on.”
The Thunder have won four in a row but are only 6-4 since their decisive victory over the Suns, losing three times to San Antonio in that stretch. Three of their last four wins have come by 25 points or more, including their 124-95 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on New Year’s Eve.
“The last two games, we’ve put together very complete 48-minute efforts where our identity was on in full force,” Daigneault said.
The Suns, who also lost to Oklahoma City 123-119 on Nov 28, have won five of six. They had six double-figure scorers against the Kings while amassing 16 steals and nine blocks defensively.
Over their two losses to the Thunder, Dillon Brooks posted 35 points but hit only 10 of 34 from the field. Nevertheless, he has been singled out by Gilgeous-Alexander as one to keep an eye on.
“As crazy as he is on the court, he’s the exact opposite (as a person),” the Thunder star guard said. “I appreciate him even more because he can flip that switch and do whatever it takes to win games.”
Meanwhile in NBA action on Jan 3, Jaylen Brown tied a career high with 50 points and Derrick White added 29 as the Boston Celtics triumphed 146-115 over the hosts Los Angeles Clippers, who saw their six-game winning streak end.
Elsewhere, Curry scored 20 of his team-high 31 points in the third quarter as the Warriors overcame a double-digit deficit and the ejection of Green to beat the Utah Jazz 123-114 in San Francisco.
Deni Avdija recorded a triple-double with 29 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists – including a pivotal three-pointer in the final minute – to help Portland hold on for a 115-110 win over the short-handed Spurs. REUTERS
