Ajay Mitchell scored a career-high 30 points on 10-of-16 shooting as the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Phoenix Suns 125-114 on Monday at Paycom Center. The win moved Oklahoma City to 4-0 to open the season, while Phoenix fell to 1-2.
The Thunder built their margin in the paint and at the free-throw line, outscoring the Suns 50-38 inside and shooting 25 of 29 from the stripe. Jalen Green led Phoenix with 20 points, but the Suns could never fully close a gap that reached 22 points.
Takeaways From Thunder’s Win Over Suns
Mitchell’s 30-point night set the tone
Mitchell needed just 16 shot attempts to reach his 30-point total, adding five assists and nine made free throws on 10 tries. His plus-18 rating led all players on the floor.
Oklahoma City dominated the paint and the glass
The Thunder outrebounded the Suns 48-38 and scored 50 points in the paint compared to Phoenix’s 38. Isaiah Hartenstein grabbed 13 rebounds, including six offensive boards, giving Oklahoma City extra possessions that Phoenix’s defense could not consistently prevent.
Phoenix couldn’t solve its turnover problem
The Suns committed 13 total turnovers that led to 18 Thunder points. Phoenix shot a respectable 43% from the field and 36% from three but never generated enough fast-break opportunities, finishing with just nine fast-break points compared to a 51% shooting clip from Oklahoma City.
Player Of The Game: Ajay Mitchell
Mitchell finished 10 of 16 from the field, 1 of 3 from three-point range and 9 of 10 at the free-throw line for his 30 points, adding five assists in 25 minutes. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander also scored 26 points on 11-of-18 shooting with three assists, but it was Mitchell’s efficiency and scoring burst that powered the Thunder’s offense.
Thunder Vs Suns By The Numbers
Oklahoma City shot 51% from the field compared to Phoenix’s 43%, a gap that showed up most in the paint, where the Thunder held a 50-38 scoring edge. The Thunder also made 25 of 29 free throws (86%) against the Suns’ 18 of 25 (72%), adding seven extra points at the line. Phoenix held a narrow rebounding advantage in offensive boards, 14 to 12, but Oklahoma City’s 36 defensive rebounds limited second-chance opportunities for the Suns. Oklahoma City’s largest lead reached 22 points, while Phoenix’s biggest lead of the night was just one point.
What It Means
The Thunder sit atop the Northwest Division at 4-0, one of two unbeaten teams in that group of standings. The Suns dropped to 1-2 and sit tied for second in the Pacific Division with the Clippers, each two games behind the 3-0 Lakers. Oklahoma City now leads the season series with Phoenix 1-0.
Don't stop here
Every Score. Every Story. One Home.
Breaking sports, entertainment and news from across the Total Apex network, updated all day.
Get the Full Story →
