The Oklahoma City Thunder have powered their way to a 2-0 lead in their first-round Western Conference playoff series against the Phoenix Suns.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 37 points and nine assists as the Thunder defeated the Phoenix Suns 120-107 on Wednesday night.
Gilgeous-Alexander scored 25 points in the series-opening win on Sunday, going five for 18 from the field. He bounced back in Game 2 with 13-for-25 shooting after being presented the NBA Clutch Player of the Year trophy before the game.
Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams each added 19 points for Oklahoma City, though Williams left the game in the third quarter with a left hamstring injury and did not return.
Williams, an All-Star in 2024-25, missed 30 games this season with a right hamstring injury after missing the first 19 games of the season following surgery on his right wrist.
Five higher-seeded teams had lost home games in the first week of the playoffs before Wednesday, including the top-three seeds in the Eastern Conference – Detroit, Boston and New York – and the No.2 and 3 seeds in the West – San Antonio and Denver.
City avoided that fate by shooting 47.3 per cent from the field and forcing 21 turnovers.
Dillon Brooks led the Suns with 30 points before fouling out in the fourth quarter. Devin Booker scored 22 points and Jalen Green added 21 for Phoenix, which will host Game 3 on Saturday.
Earlier on Wednesday (Thursday AEST) in Detroit, Cade Cunningham had 27 points, 11 assists and six rebounds to lead the top-seeded Pistons to a 98-83 win over eighth-seeded Orlando to even their Eastern Conference first-round series and end the longest home losing streak in NBA playoff history.
Detroit had lost 11 straight home post-season games, a drought that started in 2008.
Game 3 is on Saturday in Orlando.
The hosts dominated the third quarter, turning a tied game into a rout by outscoring the Magic 38-16 in the period.
After Cunningham scored a career playoff-high 39 points in Game 1 and didn’t get much help, the All-Star guard had plenty of support with five teammates scoring in double figures.
Tobias Harris had 16 points, Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson 11 each, while Duncan Robertson and Isaiah Stewart each scored 10.
Jalen Suggs tallied 19 points and Paolo Banchero 18 for Orlando, who were held to a season low in points.
The Pistons haven’t advanced beyond the first playoff round in 18 years and the Magic haven’t reached the second round in 16 years.
https://thewest.com.au/sport/basketball/okc-win-pistons-end-longest-home-playoff-losing-streak-c-22182298
