Thunder Withstand Massive Rally by Suns, Stay atop of the West
The NBA Western Conference continues to remain tightly contested and highly competitive heading into the last month of the season. In Sunday night’s nationally televised game in Phoenix, the Oklahoma City Thunder were able to come out victorious against the Suns, winning 118-110. The Thunder keep proving the doubters wrong because they have done one thing better than the rest of the teams in the West: win games. Superstar guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a Bonafede MVP candidate, and if the Thunder hold the top seed at the season’s end, I don’t see how SGA wouldn’t be rewarded with the honors. He paced the Thunder with 35 points, nine assists, and eight rebounds, controlling the game’s pace and getting to his spots play after play.
The Thunder started off the game well, taking a four-point lead after the first quarter and a 14-point lead into halftime. That lead was extended to 24 halfway through the third quarter, but the Suns weren’t ready to concede. They went on a whopping 38-8 run into the final frame to take a six-point lead, thanks to a bevy of three-pointers and consecutive stops. OKC showed their resilience on the road, regaining the lead with five minutes left and never conceding it again. Gilgeous-Alexander and rising star Jalen Williams carried the offensive scoring load in the fourth, illustrating their incredible shot-making. Williams finished with 22 points and flashed his All-Star potential once again. The Suns were led by Bradley Beal, fresh off an ejection in his return from injury, who scored 31 points and dropped six assists. Center Jusuf Nurkic set a Phoenix Suns team record for most rebounds in a game with 31 rebounds, with an incredible 13 of those coming on the offensive end.
For the surging Thunder, they will head straight to Los Angeles to take on the Lakers tomorrow night in a back-to-back. At 42-18, they look to be a lock for a top-four seed. They can definitely hold onto the top spot if they play to their abilities. Their youth does not look to be much of a factor for these Thunder players; the playoffs may be a different story, but the poise is certainly there in big regular season games to date.
