🎙️ Voice is AI-generated. Inconsistencies may occur.
The Oklahoma City Thunder will take on the lowly Phoenix Suns in the second night of a back-to-back for OKC. The Thunder will travel to the Valley of the Sun as they seek their 66th win of the season.
More NBA news: Thunder Fan Breaks Silence on Interaction That Led to Lakers Luka Doncic Ejection
The Suns will need a miracle if they want to secure the No. 10 seed in the loaded Western Conference. A loss today for Phoenix will put the final nail in their season's coffin and send them into a vital summer.
The Suns will have a tall order to beat arguably the best team in the season, and what makes it even tougher is that Phoenix will be without their superstar forward, Kevin Durant.
Durant will miss his fifth consecutive game and his 18th overall.
Durant last played on March 30 in a game against the Houston Rockets before being sidelined with a sprained ankle.
Durant was clearly limited in that outing. He played just 23 minutes and finished with 11 points on 5-of-11 shooting, seven rebounds, one assist, and one steal in the loss.
It's been a rocky season for the Suns. After kicking things off with an impressive 8-1 start, Phoenix has struggled to find consistency, going just 27-42 since then. The early promise has faded, and the team now finds itself fighting for momentum as the regular season winds down.
Heading into this matchup, the Suns are considered heavy underdogs, listed at +7.5 despite the Thunder resting several key players—including Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luguentz Dort, Isaiah Hartenstein, and Cason Wallace. It's a steep line, especially given Oklahoma City's short-handed roster, but it speaks to the uncertainty surrounding the Suns and their ability to bounce back.
The Thunder will look to sweep the season series against the Suns. Oklahoma City dominated the first two meetings against the Suns, winning by an average of 23.5 points.
The Thunder may not have their best players, but they have enough—at least a bit more than the Suns—to earn the win.
The Suns have a 21-28 record against Western Conference teams this season. Defensively, they've struggled, allowing 116.8 points per game and being outscored by an average of 3.0 points.
Meanwhile, the Thunder have thrived against their conference rivals, posting a 36-13 mark. Offensively, Oklahoma City continues to shine, ranking fourth in the league in scoring with 120.2 points per game while shooting an efficient 48.1 percent from the field.
More NBA news: Mavericks Projected to Lose Millions After Trading Luka Doncic to Lakers
For more NBA news and rumors, stay tuned to Newsweek Sports.
Is This Article Trustworthy?
Is This Article Trustworthy?
Newsweek is committed to journalism that is factual and fair
We value your input and encourage you to rate this article.
Newsweek is committed to journalism that is factual and fair
We value your input and encourage you to rate this article.
About the writer
Ricardo Sandoval is a Newsweek contributor based in Los Angeles, CA. His focus is sports content. Ricardo has been with Newsweek since 2024 and also writes ... Read more