The Oklahoma City Thunder dominated the Phoenix Suns 119-84 to start their title defense in Game 1 of their first-round Western Conference playoff series on Sunday.
Shai-Gilgeous Alexander led Oklahoma City with 25 points, Jalen Williams scored 22 points, and Chet Holmgren added 16.
The reigning league MVP made just 5 of 18 field goals but went 15 of 17 at the foul line before sitting out the fourth quarter.
It was the third straight year that the Thunder earned the top seed and had to wait through the play-in tournament to learn their first-round opponent.
On the other hand, Devin Booker led the Suns with 23 points, and Dillon Brooks scored 18 on 6-of-22 shooting.
Jalen Green scored 35 and 36 points in Phoenix’s two play-in games, had 17 on 6-for-16 shooting.
The Suns earned the No. 8 seed by eliminating the Golden State Warriors on Friday night.
Brooks was called for a flagrant-one foul in the first quarter for hitting Holmgren in the face.
Oklahoma City went on a 12-2 run after that to take a 24-14 lead, followed by Holmgren draining a 3-pointer as time expired to put them up 35-20.
The Thunder extended the advantage to 65-44 at halftime. Holmgren had 16 points, and Gilgeous-Alexander had 15 at the break.
Gilgeous-Alexander converted a three-point play to push Oklahoma City’s lead to 90-63 late in the third quarter, and the Thunder took a 97-66 edge into the fourth.
Game 2 at Oklahoma on Wednesday.
