Oklahoma City Thunder Weekly: Likely The 2nd Seed, Looking At Potential 1st-Round Foes
By Phil Watson
Sunday, April 6: Phoenix Suns 122, Thunder 115 (US Airways Center, Phoenix)
Oklahoma City arrived off a loss at Houston while the Suns came in off a win at Portland.
The Thunder had Thabo Sefolosha and Reggie Williams inactive for the game, while Phoenix scratched Leandro Barbosa and Emeka Okafor.
The Suns led 28-25 at the first quarter break, with Miles Plumlee going for six points and five rebounds in the period and Eric Bledsoe also scoring six points for Phoenix. Russell Westbrook had nine points and Kevin Durant tossed in eight for the Thunder.
The Suns were 14-for-21 from the floor in the second quarter and surged out to a 62-53 halftime lead. Goran Dragic went off in the period, scoring 19 points, and Marcus Morris added eight for Phoenix. Westbrook had 10 points and Reggie Jackson scored nine for Oklahoma City.
The Thunder cut a 14-point deficit in the third period to just 94-91 at the quarter break. Durant had 12 points and five rebounds in the quarter and Westbrook went for eight points and five assists. Gerald Green scored 11 points and Bledsoe added eight for the Suns.
The Thunder took a two-point lead early in the fourth quarter and took a 112-111 lead with 2:39 to go on a pair of Durant free throws, but Phoenix scored 10 unanswered points and pulled away for the win. P.J. Tucker scored 11 points in the period for the Suns. Durant had 13 for the Thunder.
On the night, Dragic scored 26 points and dished five assists for the Suns. Green added 24 points, Tucker had a career-high 22 to go with seven rebounds, Bledsoe finished with 18 points and three steals and Markieff Morris and Marcus Morris each scored 10 points.
Durant paced the Thunder with 38 points and 11 rebounds. Westbrook went for 33 points and eight assists. While Serge Ibaka and Jackson each tossed in 11 points.
Oklahoma City was 40-for-84 (47.6 percent) overall, 9-for-32 (28.1 percent) from 3-point range and 26-for-32 (81.3 percent) at the free-throw line. Phoenix was 45-for-77 (58.4 percent), 11-for-23 (47.8 percent) and 21-for-31 (67.7 percent). In the other categories, it was:
Rebounding: 38-36 OKC
In the Paint: 42-40 OKC
Second Chance Scoring: 19-13 OKC
Fast break: 13-7 PHX
Turnovers (Points off): OKC 12 (8), PHX 12 (8)