Tip-Off: 8 PM CT
Location: Talking Stick Resort Arena (Phoenix, Arizona)
Television: Bally Sports Oklahoma
Radio: WWLS 98.1FM OKC The Sports Animal
Twitter: Follow @ZacharyLowNBA for live tweets and discussion during the game
For just the second time all season, the Oklahoma City Thunder is riding a 3-game win streak after handily defeating the Denver Nuggets at home on Wednesday evening. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander recorded a triple-double for the second time in his career, and the Thunder came away with the 108-94 victory, their largest margin of victory all season long. Despite the win streak, I wouldn’t exactly say hopes are high for another win tonight as the Thunder travels to Phoenix to take on the scorching hot Suns.
The Suns hold the league’s best record at 25-5, and they have had incredible success at home, going 14-2. Since starting the season 1-3 through their first four games, they have hardly struggled. In both of Phoenix’s losses over the last 26 games, the Suns have been missing Devin Booker, and in the second one, they were also missing DeAndre Ayton. Now that the Suns are mostly healthy, it’s hard to see the Thunder having a chance in this one, but you never know what Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luguentz Dort, and the band of rookies might be able to put together.
Projected Starters
Thunder
- PG: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
- SG: Josh Giddey
- SF: Luguentz Dort
- PF: Jeremiah Robinson-Earl
- C: Derrick Favors
Suns
- PG: Chris Paul
- SG: Devin Booker
- SF: Mikal Bridges
- PF: Jae Crowder
- C: DeAndre Ayton
Injuries
Thunder
- Vit Krejci is OUT (G League — on assignment).
Suns
- Chandler Hutchinson is OUT (G League — Two-Way).
- Frank Kaminsky is OUT (stress reaction in right knee).
- Abdel Nader is OUT (right knee injury management).
- Dario Saric is OUT (right ACL tear).
Head-to-Head
- Since arriving in Oklahoma City in 2008, the Thunder is 30-15 against the Suns (17-5 at home, 13-10 on the road).
- Since arriving in Oklahoma City in 2008, the Thunder has won the season series against the Suns 9 times, tied once, and lost 3 times.
- The Thunder lost the season series with the Suns 1-2 a year ago (0-1 at home, 1-1 on the road).