The Thunder’s Big Three was exceptional in its 120-107 Game 2 win against the Suns on Wednesday night at Paycom Center.
The only downer: Jalen Williams exited with an apparent hamstring strain.
OKC dominated the middle quarters and fended off Phoenix in the fourth despite some sloppy play.
The Thunder now heads to Phoenix with a commanding 2-0 lead in the series.
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Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander arrives before Game 2 of the first round NBA playoff series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Phoenix Suns in Oklahoma City, Wednesday, April 22, 2026.Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jalen Williams arrives before Game 2 of the first round NBA playoff series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Phoenix Suns in Oklahoma City, Wednesday, April 22, 2026.Oklahoma City Thunder guard Cason Wallace arrives before Game 2 of the first round NBA playoff series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Phoenix Suns in Oklahoma City, Wednesday, April 22, 2026.Oklahoma City Thunder guard Isaiah Joe arrives before Game 2 of the first round NBA playoff series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Phoenix Suns in Oklahoma City, Wednesday, April 22, 2026.Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander arrives before Game 2 of the first round NBA playoff series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Phoenix Suns in Oklahoma City, Wednesday, April 22, 2026.Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jalen Williams arrives before Game 2 of the first round NBA playoff series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Phoenix Suns in Oklahoma City, Wednesday, April 22, 2026.Playoffs shirts are pictured before Game 2 of the first round NBA playoff series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Phoenix Suns in Oklahoma City, Wednesday, April 22, 2026.Playoffs shirts are pictured before Game 2 of the first round NBA playoff series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Phoenix Suns in Oklahoma City, Wednesday, April 22, 2026.1 / 8Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC Thunder vs Phoenix Suns in NBA Playoffs Game 2Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander arrives before Game 2 of the first round NBA playoff series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Phoenix Suns in Oklahoma City, Wednesday, April 22, 2026.1 / 8Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC Thunder vs Phoenix Suns in NBA Playoffs Game 2Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander arrives before Game 2 of the first round NBA playoff series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Phoenix Suns in Oklahoma City, Wednesday, April 22, 2026.2 / 8Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC Thunder vs Phoenix Suns in NBA Playoffs Game 2Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jalen Williams arrives before Game 2 of the first round NBA playoff series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Phoenix Suns in Oklahoma City, Wednesday, April 22, 2026.3 / 8Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC Thunder vs Phoenix Suns in NBA Playoffs Game 2Oklahoma City Thunder guard Cason Wallace arrives before Game 2 of the first round NBA playoff series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Phoenix Suns in Oklahoma City, Wednesday, April 22, 2026.4 / 8Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC Thunder vs Phoenix Suns in NBA Playoffs Game 2Oklahoma City Thunder guard Isaiah Joe arrives before Game 2 of the first round NBA playoff series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Phoenix Suns in Oklahoma City, Wednesday, April 22, 2026.5 / 8Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC Thunder vs Phoenix Suns in NBA Playoffs Game 2Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander arrives before Game 2 of the first round NBA playoff series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Phoenix Suns in Oklahoma City, Wednesday, April 22, 2026.6 / 8Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC Thunder vs Phoenix Suns in NBA Playoffs Game 2Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jalen Williams arrives before Game 2 of the first round NBA playoff series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Phoenix Suns in Oklahoma City, Wednesday, April 22, 2026.7 / 8Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC Thunder vs Phoenix Suns in NBA Playoffs Game 2Playoffs shirts are pictured before Game 2 of the first round NBA playoff series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Phoenix Suns in Oklahoma City, Wednesday, April 22, 2026.8 / 8Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC Thunder vs Phoenix Suns in NBA Playoffs Game 2Playoffs shirts are pictured before Game 2 of the first round NBA playoff series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Phoenix Suns in Oklahoma City, Wednesday, April 22, 2026.Thunder Big Three: AAn excellent night for the Thunder’s Big Three, Jalen Williams’ hamstring injury notwithstanding.
Williams along with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren combined for 75 points on 27-of-48 shooting, including going 7 of 14 from behind the arc. That is spectacular efficiency; by comparison, the Suns’ Big Three of Devin Booker, Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks combined to score 73 points but were 27 of 60 from the floor.
In addition, OKC’s Big Three also combined for 14 rebounds and 13 assists. Holmgren added four blocks while Gilgeous-Alexander had two steals.
How nice must it be to have a savvy vet like Ajay Mitchell come off the bench and do a little bit of everything?
Wait, he’s only a second-year player? That can’t be right.
Yeah, I know. It doesn’t make any sense. Mitchell is way too cool, way too composed for this being his first real playoff run. Mitchell, still fresh off a foot injury, was a bit player last postseason. Now he’s a 20-plus minute per game guy.
Mitchell had 14 points, five assists, five rebounds and two steals in 29 minutes.
When the Suns cut the Thunder’s lead to 10 points late in the fourth quarter, Mitchell hit a clutch 3-pointer to extend the margin.
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Alex Caruso had two steals in the first quarter, both of which led to easy buckets for the Thunder.
After outscoring the Suns 34-2 in points off turnovers in Game 1, the Thunder outscored the Suns by a measly 22-9 margin Wednesday night in Game 2.
That’s a plus-45 margin in two games. That’s basically the series.
The Thunder is usually rock solid from the free-throw line. It hit nearly 82% of its free throws during the regular season.
But Wednesday night, OKC went just 8 of 11 in the first half, and at one point late in the third quarter, the Thunder was 11 of 16. That’s only 68.8%.
Worse, the Thunder had some normally steady free-throw shooters miss. Jalen Williams bonked a couple. Chet Holmgren and Ajay Mitchell also had misses. Nothing crazy, but the Thunder just didn’t seem as locked in from the line as it normally is.