Jalen Williams, Holmgren and the supporting cast deliver

Jalen Williams was ultra-efficient with 22 points on 9-of-15 shooting, 7 rebounds and 6 assists for a team-high Sofascore Rating of 8.5. Chet Holmgren added 16 points, 7 rebounds and 2 blocks (Sofascore Rating 7.7) while Isaiah Hartenstein was perfect inside the arc (8 points on 4-of-4).

From the bench, Ajay Mitchell and Isaiah Joe each hit three triples for 9 points apiece, and Luguentz Dort chipped in 8. OKC won the rebounding battle 54-45, including 19 offensive boards, and posted a 59% clip on two-pointers (28/47).

Booker leads Phoenix, but offense stalls

Devin Booker paced the Suns with 23 points on 8-of-17 shooting (Sofascore Rating 7.0). Dillon Brooks added 18 but needed 22 shots (6-of-22), and Jalen Green scored 17. Phoenix struggled to generate clean looks, finishing at 34% from the field and 36% on two-pointers (16/44), while turning it over 17 times.

Rasheer Fleming provided a bright spot from deep, going 3-of-3 for 9 points. Still, the Suns spent just 2:59 in front and trailed by as many as 39 as Oklahoma City controlled the glass and tempo.

Numbers that told the story

– Quarter by quarter: 35-20, 30-24, 32-22, 22-18 (Thunder in every period)
– Field goals: OKC 42/93 (45%), PHX 29/83 (34%)
– Free throws: OKC 21/23 (91%), PHX 13/18 (72%)
– Assists/turnovers: OKC 28/6, PHX 16/17
– Time in lead: OKC 43:37, PHX 2:59
– Biggest lead: OKC +39

The Thunder’s defense and balance carried the night, and the series sits 1-0 to Oklahoma City. You can dig into all player stats, advanced splits and Sofascore Ratings for this NBA Playoffs matchup on Sofascore.