| MATCHUP | Phoenix Suns | Oklahoma City Thunder |
|---|---|---|
| Team Records | 45-37 | 64-18 |
| Where | Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK | |
| When | Sunday, April 19, 2026 | |
| Time | 03:30 PM EDT | |
| TV | ABC | |
The Phoenix Suns travel to the Paycom Center to take on the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 on Sunday night. Here’s a Phoenix Suns vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Prediction. This article will include a Phoenix Suns vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Pick.
Phoenix Suns Betting Preview
The Phoenix Suns really needed to wake up after losing to the Trail Blazers in the first Play-In game on Tuesday, but they made up for that in spades with a dominant 111-96 home win over the Warriors last night. Jalen Green drained eight 3-pointers to lead the way with 36 points on 14 of 20 shooting; Devin Booker added 20 points with six rebounds and eight assists; Jordan Goodwin provided the spark early with 19 points, nine rebounds and six steals, while Dillon Brooks chipped in with 13 points.
As a team, the Suns shot 48 percent from the field and 18 of 49 from the 3-point line as they swarmed the Warriors in the first quarter to open up an early 18-point lead, but they lost their focus and allowed the Warriors to cut their lead to just two points just before halftime. However, the Suns regrouped and went on a pivotal run in the third quarter to push the margin back out to 16 points, which was more than enough to hold off the Warriors in the end.
Oklahoma City Thunder Betting Preview
Meanwhile, the Oklahoma City Thunder have had the luxury of extra preparation time as they dominated most of the regular season to finish with an impressive 64-18 overall record, good for the top spot in the league. In an injury-riddled season, the Thunder have had one ultra-consistent player and that has been Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who led the way with averages of 31.1 points, 4.3 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game. Chet Holmgren played 69 games and averaged 17.1 points and 8.9 rebounds per game, while Jalen Williams came back from injury and played 33 games to average 17.1 points and 5.5 assists per game.
As a team, the Thunder are scoring 119.0 points per game while shooting 48.4 percent from the field and 36.5 percent from the 3-point line but their true strength lies in their top-ranked defense with a defensive rating of 106.7.
Why the Oklahoma City Thunder will win
- The Suns have lost 19 of their last 20 road games when playing with a rest disadvantage.
- The Thunder have won each of their last eight Western Conference First Round games.
- The Suns have failed to cover the spread in each of their last nine playoff games as road underdogs.
- The Thunder have covered the spread in each of their last six playoff games as home favorites following a loss.
Why the Phoenix Suns will win
- The underdogs have won each of the Suns’ last two playoff games.
- The Thunder have lost two of their last three games as home favorites against Western Conference opponents following a loss.
- The Thunder have failed to cover the spread in each of their last six games as home favorites against Western Conference opponents following a loss.
- The Suns have covered the spread in six of their last seven road games against Western Conference opponents following a win.
Total Points Facts
- Each of the Suns’ last six games at Paycom Center following a home win have gone OVER the total points line.
- Seven of the Thunder’s last eight home games against the Suns have gone OVER the total points line.
Phoenix Suns Player Facts
- Grayson Allen ranks 8th amongst qualified players for three-pointers made per 36 minutes (3.9) this season.
- Royce O’Neale ranks 22nd amongst qualified players for 3P% (40.8%) this season.
Matchup/League Facts
- The Thunder rank 1st in the league for opponent free throw percentage this season (74.0%).
- The Thunder rank 1st in the league for opponent free throws made per game this season (16.2).
- The Suns rank 2nd in the league for opponent three-point percentage this season (34.7%).
- The Suns rank 2nd in the league for Q3 opponent points per game this season (27.0).
Phoenix Suns vs Oklahoma City Thunder Prediction
The Suns are keeping an eye on Mark Williams, who is a game-time decision with a foot injury, while the Thunder should have close to a full squad available despite listing many players as a game-time decision. These teams met five times in the regular season, with the Thunder winning three of those games, two of which were absolute blowouts.
The Suns should be getting a couple players back from injury but I don’t think it will be enough to hold off this Thunder squad, who have been itching to get back on the playoff stage. The line is a little hefty, but I think the Thunder will make a statement with a dominant win and cover in Game 1.