Facing elimination, the Phoenix Suns didn’t lie down against the Oklahoma City Thunder. It wasn’t enough to avoid a four-game sweep.
The Suns shot 53 percent against the NBA’s No. 1 defense, outscored the Thunder in the paint and forced 16 turnovers but still fell to OKC’s three-point barrage in a 131-122 Game 4 win. It’s the end of a surprising Suns season, though only one step in the Thunder’s quest to repeat as NBA champions.
Oklahoma City Thunder overwhelmed Phoenix Suns
On a night where the Suns had four players score in double figures and cracked 109 points for the first time in the first-round series, the Thunder got it done with their own offense. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31 points and shot an unforgettable 9-for-11 from the foul line. Chet Holmgren added 24 points and 12 rebounds, but it was the hot shooting up and down the roster that carried the Thunder.
They shot 17-for-34 from deep, with seven different OKC players making at least one three. Second-year guard Ajay Mitchell went 4-for-6 on his way to 22 points, while Alex Caruso matched him with 4-for-6 shooting and 14 of the Thunder’s 35 bench points.