Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 25 points and the Oklahoma City Thunder began their title defense with a 119-84 rout of the Phoenix Suns in Game 1 of their first-round Western Conference playoff series on Sunday.
The reigning league MVP made just five of 18 field goals but went 15 of 17 at the foul line before sitting out the fourth quarter.
Jalen Williams scored 22 points and Chet Holmgren added 16 for the top-seeded Thunder, who will host Game 2 on Wednesday.
Devin Booker scored 23 points and Dillon Brooks scored 18 on 6-of-22 shooting for the Suns, who shot 34.9% from the field.
Phoenix broke out to a 5-0 lead as the Thunder started cold following a week off.
Oklahoma City heated up quickly. Brooks was called for a flagrant-one foul in the first quarter for hitting Holmgren in the face. The Thunder went on a 12-2 surge after that to take a 24-14 lead.
In the closing seconds of the quarter, Oklahoma City’s Jaylin Williams threw a pass about three-quarters of the length of the court. Holmgren caught it with his back to the basket, took one dribble to his right, then turned and drained a three-pointer as time expired to put Oklahoma City up 35-20.
Oklahoma City extended the advantage to 65-44 at half-time. Holmgren had 16 points and Gilgeous-Alexander had 15 at the break. Gilgeous-Alexander converted a three-point play to push Oklahoma City’s lead to 90-63 late in the third quarter, and the Thunder took a 97-66 edge into the fourth.
Tatum inspires Celtics win over Sixers
Jayson Tatum was making his return to the playoffs with the Celtics after last season’s injury
Jayson Tatum had 25 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists in his first playoff game since rupturing his right Achilles tendon last season as the Boston Celtics rolled past the Philadelphia 76ers 123-91 in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference first-round series.
Jaylen Brown scored 26 points and Neemias Queta added 13 for the second-seeded Celtics. Tatum scored 21 points in the first half, playing in just his 17th game this season following surgery last May to repair his Achilles tendon.
Boston never trailed, building a 35-point lead as coach Joe Mazzulla gave minutes to 12 players. The Celtics connected on 16 3-pointers. Game 2 is Tuesday night in Boston.
“That was Celtics basketball,” Brown said. “We’ve been the harder-playing team all year. That can’t change now that the playoffs have started.”
Tyrese Maxey had 21 points and eight assists for the 76ers, who played without Joel Embiid. The 2023 MVP continues to recover following an appendectomy on April 9. It’s unclear when he will be able to return.
Paul George scored 17 points and V.J. Edgecombe added 13. Philadelphia was 4 of 23 from 3-point range.
Maxey was hounded by a Celtics defense that contested 12 of his 14 shot attempts in the first half and held him to 8 of 20 from the field.
Philadelphia’s 64-46 half-time deficit was its largest in a playoff game against Boston since 1982.
Watch the 2026 NBA playoffs live on Sky Sports, continuing with the Toronto Raptors @ Cleveland Cavaliers on Sky Sports+ from 11pm on Monday evening.
