The Oklahoma City Thunder proved on Sunday why they are the favorites to win their second straight NBA championship, dominating the Phoenix Suns 119-84 in Game 1.
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OKC may have gotten out to a slow start in the first few minutes, but they took full control on both ends of the floor midway through the first quarter.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had an off shooting night, but that didn’t matter as OKC simply overwhelmed the Suns in every way. Phoenix was without their starting center as Mark Williams was ruled out with a foot injury.
His absence amplified the Suns’ size disadvantage, and the Thunder dominated the rebound numbers, the turnover game and the assist numbers.
Phoenix was outscored by 15 points in the first quarter and another five points in the second.
In what felt like a do-or-die third quarter, no one on the Suns could truly get going and the gap grew past 30 points. Across the board, the Thunder outplayed the Suns en route to a blowout victory in which most starters left the game early in the fourth quarter.
Gilgeous-Alexander was just 5-of-18 from the floor, but shot 15-of-17 from the free throw line to finish with 25 points and seven assists.
For the Suns, Devin Booker had 23 points and six rebounds on 8-of-17 shooting.
James Parker contributed to this story.
