Oklahoma City Thunder advanced to the second round of the NBA playoffs after a commanding 131–122 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Monday night, completing a 4–0 series sweep.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the defending champions with 31 points as the Western Conference top seed secured its third consecutive first-round sweep.
“We just came in ready,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Love to play basketball, a group full of great kids that have fun together.
“We do it for each other. None of us are selfish. We all want the next man to succeed, and when you have those three things and put them together, you get success.”
The Thunder will face either the Los Angeles Lakers or Houston Rockets in the next round, with the Lakers currently leading that series 3–1.
“Ultimately, we’ve got to get better in the days between our next opponents,” Gilgeous-Alexander added.
Oklahoma City became the first team to reach the second round on a night when the Orlando Magic moved the Detroit Pistons to the brink of elimination with a 94–88 win, taking a 3–1 series lead in the Eastern Conference.
Desmond Bane scored 22 points for Orlando, while Franz Wagner added 19 before exiting with a sore calf, and Paolo Banchero contributed 18 points and eight rebounds.
For Detroit, Cade Cunningham led with 25 points, while Tobias Harris added 20. The Pistons, who finished the regular season 60–22, must now win three straight games to avoid elimination.
Meanwhile, the Denver Nuggets kept their playoff hopes alive with a 125–113 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves, narrowing the series deficit to 3–2.
Nikola Jokic delivered a standout triple-double performance with 27 points, 16 assists, and 12 rebounds. Jamal Murray added 24 points, while Spencer Jones and Cameron Johnson chipped in 20 and 18 points respectively.
“We did a good job of bringing the energy for 48 minutes,” Murray said. “We’ve got to be poised and relaxed when we go to their building.”
Minnesota, led by Julius Randle with 27 points, were without key players Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo due to injury, further complicating their playoff campaign.
