Suns Fight to Stay Alive as Thunder Take Control in NBA Cup Showdown
So, the Suns’ NBA Cup journey just hit one of its biggest turning points of the season, and honestly, the stakes couldn’t have been higher heading into their matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Phoenix entered the night with a strong 12–7 record and an impressive 3–0 run in NBA Cup group play, having taken down Utah, Minnesota, and Sacramento. Those wins put them right on the edge of securing a knockout-stage berth. But standing between them and the top of West Group A was the reigning champion Thunder—undefeated and absolutely rolling with dominant point differentials.
The Suns already knew that beating Oklahoma City would give them the group outright, but even a respectable loss could have kept their quarterfinal chances alive. The issue? OKC wasn’t interested in giving anyone a break. And when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander steps onto the floor, “comfortable losses” aren’t really an option.
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Shai dropped a massive 37 points, leading the Thunder to a 123–119 win and officially locking up Group A. Phoenix did try to make things interesting late, putting together a strong push in the fourth quarter, but by then the game had slipped a little too far out of reach. The comeback spark arrived too late, and the Thunder managed to hold off every last push.
For the Suns, this loss was more than just another mark in the standings—it directly impacted their Cup hopes. They entered the night holding the top second-place spot in the West, ahead of Memphis and San Antonio. But a narrow margin mattered. A blowout loss could’ve crushed their point differential and knocked them out of contention completely. Thankfully, the four-point final margin kept them alive, even if the result left fans wondering what more the team needed to push past the defending champs.
A big part of the Suns’ pressure came from the expectations on Devin Booker. He’s been the engine of Phoenix’s offense all season, averaging strong numbers, but he had recently hit a rough patch, scoring under 20 in four of his last five games. The team needed a breakout performance from him to keep pace with OKC’s firepower. Meanwhile, Mark Williams continued to quietly anchor the paint despite carefully managed minutes due to earlier knee issues. With Ryan Dunn still sidelined, Williams’ importance against Chet Holmgren only grew.
Even with the loss, the Suns showed resilience, depth, and growth—qualities that could still push them into the knockout stage depending on how other results shake out. And with each player set to earn over $51,000 if they reach the quarterfinals, there’s plenty of motivation to finish strong.
For now, the story is simple: Phoenix fought hard, Oklahoma City fought harder, and the NBA Cup drama is far from over.
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