Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scores 25 points while leading the Thunder to a Game 1 victory.
The more things try to change, the more things stay the same. Or something like that. Case in point: The Oklahoma City Thunder, until further notice, remain one level up on everyone.
And Sunday, there were miles between them and the Phoenix Suns.
On the surface, this playoff series didn’t seem like a fair fight even before it started, and not long after tipoff, everyone could understand. The Thunder brought championship mettle, a healthy ego, a strong starting five, an extra-long bench and home court advantage to Game 1.
Meanwhile, the Suns brought hope and not much else.
The result was a 35-point wipeout in favor of the defending champs, who applied the headlock early and never showed mercy. Even the OKC bench dominated during mop-up time. It was that one-sided.
OKC was able to romp despite Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning MVP, missing 13 of 18 shots. That was uncharacteristic of the league’s second-leading scorer, who shot 55% during the season. But it also showed how OKC doesn’t necessarily lean on a single player for success. Especially if Jalen Williams (22 points in 29 minutes) plays like this.
“We’re the best version of ourselves when he’s the best version of himself,” Shai said of J-Dub.
A reminder that blowouts are what OKC does — the Thunder beat Memphis by 51 points to open their championship run last season.
Here are four takeaways from the Thunder’s rousing opener:
1. OKC does defense well
Much like last season during their journey to the mountaintop, OKC is emphasizing defense and Sunday it showed. It helps to have a swarm of credible defenders, though, and the Thunder bring that as well as the attitude.
Chet Holmgren, Cason Wallace, Jaylin Williams, Lu Dort and others put on a clinic and helped hold Phoenix to 44 first-half points and 35% shooting; they forced 17 turnovers. A rebound by Williams and his court-length pass to Holmgren for a turnaround jumper at the first-quarter buzzer was a special touch.
It will take plenty to strike fear into the Thunder defense and there was no chance of that happening in Game 1. OKC seemed bent on establishing itself defensively and planting doubt into the Suns or at least making them think twice before shooting and passing.
This is a problem for Phoenix, to find those one or two players who can break down OKC’s defense. Devin Booker played well against OKC this season and was credible Sunday (23 points) but he can’t do it alone. Dillon Brooks missed 16 of 22 shots. Jalen Green, as is his habit, had questionable shot selection (6-for-16 FGs) along with three turnovers.
More than anything, the Suns lacked a true playmaker, a point guard who can expertly set up teammates. Booker assumed that role much of the season along with help from Collin Gillespie, but not in this game, against this OKC team.
2. Jalen Williams is anxious to be the J-Dub of old
As he attempts to catch his stride following a skittish regular season, Williams seems in his element here in the playoffs. Remember, he was mainly brilliant for the Thunder last spring and dropped a 40-piece during the NBA Finals. It’s also when he played with an injured wrist which required off-season surgery and delayed his start this season.
Well, he’s in playoff form if Game 1 was an omen. Williams was lively and impactful and a handful for Phoenix — 22 points, seven rebounds and six assists; he barely played in the second half.
Turnovers to takeoff ✈️ https://t.co/IyM9uPyLHF pic.twitter.com/uNYqyp8bmZ
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) April 20, 2026
Williams was patient all season while waiting to regain his timing and rhythm, all the while believing his time would come when the games mattered most. Well, that time has arrived — and apparently, so has Williams.
He said he’s adopting the playoffs as “a totally different year in my mind.”
It makes you wonder: How many teams can beat OKC in a best-of-seven series if Shai’s sidekick is back to normal? Nobody did last season.
3. Suns never knew what hit them
This game was effectively over before halftime. The No. 8 seed trailed by double-digits rather quickly and by 21 at halftime. Once the game got away from the Suns, there was little they could do to recover.
The Suns can’t afford to be in such a position against such a deep and proven team. And they definitely can’t afford self-inflicted pain; OKC managed to score 21 first-half points off 10 Suns turnovers.
The Suns defied the odds all season and impressively played their way into the postseason, and deserve all the applause for that. It’s just that they must follow one tough act with another. And it could be one too many if only because they’re up against the defending champs.
4. On OKC, everyone eats
Here’s a question — could OKC have won this game without the starters? That’s no shade thrown to the Suns. If anything, it’s a salute to the Thunder’s depth which once again showed up in droves.
And when it’s a blowout, well, everyone gets off the pine to flex. Nobody saw 30 minutes. What this game demonstrated, aside from the usual factors, is how OKC doesn’t lose much talent on the floor whenever it’s time to substitute. That’s especially true with the guards, where Wallace, Alex Caruso, Ajay Mitchell and Isaiah Joe are checking in and showing out. Jared McCain can’t even crack the playoff rotation.
Not only that, but once they get a taste of playing time, the reserves seem determined to keep taking a bite of the apple. That’s why coach Mark Daigneault doesn’t hesitate to shuffle the deck regardless of the game situation.
Even better, there doesn’t appear to be any disgruntled players complaining about the system. Winning does that.
And this is a problem for Phoenix. If the Suns can’t outscore the Thunder starters or the reserves, how do they win a game in this series?
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Shaun Powell has covered the NBA since 1985. You can e-mail him at spowell@nba.com, find his archive here and follow him on X.
