Patryk Stachowiak
Thunder Seek Series Sweep as Suns Face Elimination in Game 4
The Oklahoma City Thunder dismantled the Phoenix Suns, 121-109, to take a commanding 3-0 series lead. With a sweep within reach, Monday’s Game 4 represents the Suns’ last chance to extend their playoff run.
The Thunder are operating on another level entirely. They boast the only double-digit average scoring margin in the first round, winning their three games by an average of 20 points. Through Saturday, they hold both the number-one offense and number-one defense in the playoffs. The Suns, despite being the number-eight seed, are facing early elimination after struggling on both ends of the floor.
1. To Double or Not
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander torched the Suns in Game 3, scoring a career-playoff-high 42 points on 15-for-18 shooting from the field and 11-for-12 at the free throw line. He put multiple defenders through the ringer, whether they were the initial match or the switch defender after a screen.
The Suns‘ defensive blueprint must start with slowing the reigning MVP. They’ve struggled to defend Gilgeous-Alexander one-on-one, and double-teaming hasn’t yielded results either. Through three games, Gilgeous-Alexander has been double-teamed on 28% of his touches, the highest rate among 123 players with at least 50 total touches through Saturday. The Suns have increasingly doubled him in this series, and the Thunder scored 30 points on 21 chances when he drew multiple defenders in Game 3.
Sometimes Gilgeous-Alexander handled the pressure himself, slicing past defenders who failed to cut off his path to the basket. When forced to pass, his teammates capitalized. The Suns can be better by being more aggressive with their double-teams. The primary objective remains getting the ball out of his hands. Secondarily, they must make the pass out of the double difficult. When the double-teamer brings more pressure, he’s more likely to deflect the pass or force it backwards, giving the defense time to scramble back into a neutral situation.
There’s no right answer here, and the Suns will likely mix approaches against Gilgeous-Alexander in Game 4.
2. Who’s the Second Scorer?
The Suns‘ success against Gilgeous-Alexander depends partly on his teammates’ ability to make plays. That concern deepens with Jalen Williams sidelined by a hamstring injury suffered in Game 2.
The Thunder started Ajay Mitchell in Game 3, and he delivered his least-efficient scoring performance of the season among the 56 games where he attempted at least five shots. His 15 points came on 5-for-20 shooting from the field and 4-for-4 at the line. His role as a secondary playmaker will face scrutiny going forward.
Chet Holmgren has an opportunity to expand his offensive role. While he scored just 10 points in Game 3, he was efficient and created three of his five buckets out of no-advantage situations. His drive against Royce O’Neale and finish over Oso Ighodaro early in the fourth quarter exemplified his potential when Gilgeous-Alexander was off the floor.
Both Mitchell and Holmgren were on the floor for all 10 minutes Gilgeous-Alexander spent on the bench Saturday. The Thunder scored just 20 points on 19 offensive possessions (105 per 100) during those stretches and may need to improve that production against stiffer competition in future rounds.
3. Can the Suns Generate More Threes?
The Suns have attempted nine more mid-range shots than the Thunder in this series. They’ve shot well on those attempts (21-for-43, 48.8%), but unless you’re shooting from mid-range at Gilgeous-Alexander‘s level (55% this season), the math doesn’t work.
As a heavy underdog, the Suns probably need to shoot as many threes as possible to increase variance. Royce O’Neale shot 54% on corner threes in the regular season and is 3-for-3 from the corners in this series, but three attempts across three games isn’t enough.
In a series where they should be generating and shooting as many threes as possible, the Suns have taken a lower percentage of their shots from beyond the arc (43.5%) than they did in the regular season (45.3%). That shift away from their three-point diet may prove costly if they hope to extend their season.
Read also: Raptors Tie Series, Spurs and Celtics Move to 3-1 Leads in 2026 Playoff Action