The Oklahoma City Thunder sent out an ominous warning to the rest of the teams in the NBA play-offs with a series demolition of the Phoenix Suns.
The defending champion Thunder were far too strong for Phoenix, winning Game Four 131-122 to complete a 4-0 sweep. It is the third year on the trot they have won 4-0 in the first round.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was predictably the catalyst, scoring 31 points and adding eight assists and the reigning MVP said winning easily at this stage is good for the confidence and good for the legs.
“It is a really good feeling,” he said. “Just confidence-wise, as a group, it’s good to get the play-off runs started off that way. It’s just important to get out on a good foot. You never know what can happen. Usually, the later you go, the better the team, so the series don’t get like that. But you want to give yourself as many days as you can to rest.
“We know how good of a team they were and how capable they are as players. They play the right way. They play aggressive. They’re a dangerous team if you let them be.”
The Suns had no answer to a Thunder team that go on to face either the Los Angeles Lakers or the Houston Rockets in the Western Conference semi-finals.
Devin Booker singled out Gilgeous-Alexander for praise but admitted they were a formidable force all over the court.
“He [SGA] is the MVP of the league, and he’s playing the best basketball in the league for the past two years,” Booker said. “That’s mixed with guys that know their roles, some seasoned vets, and they’re relentless. With that chemistry, the communication, it’s on 100%. And when the bench comes in, they get better sometimes. It’s like reinforcement, not subs. They have all the answers to the test.”
Jokic regains form to keep Nuggets alive
Also, in the West, Nikola Jokic helped keep the Denver Nuggets alive with a triple-double as they beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 125-113.
Trailing 3-1 there was no room for error for the home team and Jokic broke out of his recent slump with 27 points, 16 assists and 12 rebounds to set up a Game 6 in Minneapolis on Thursday.
“Jok is Jok,” Nuggets coach David Adelman said. “These (small) sample size games and the freak outs when he doesn’t play well. You know he’s going to play well. Then his 16 assists. Assists are hard to get unless you make shots.”
Detroit lose again
The Detroit Pistons, who finished the regular season on top of the Eastern Conference, are on the brink of a first-round elimination after a 94-88 defeat to the Orlando Magic that means they trail 3-1.
Detroit have to win three straight to keep their season alive with Game 5 coming tomorrow night.
Center Jalen Duran said: “The whole series, we just been shooting ourselves in the foot. We got to clean that up, man. I still think we’re the better team, top to bottom. But we just got to…we can’t keep digging ourselves in the hole. Then, we are fighting ourselves, that team, the refs…we just got to be better.”
Coach JB Bickerstaff added: “We’re going to come out punching. That I promise you. We’re not going to lay down for anybody. It’s one game at home and that’s what your focus is on, is you got to go home and win one game. And that’s where our mindset is.”
Desmond Bane scored 22 points for Orlando and Franz Wagner added 19.
“We put our ourselves in position to try to get four, but right now it means nothing,” Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said. “We have the advantage and now we have to try and make sure we keep that advantage.”
