Thunder coach Mark Daigneault praises Suns before NBA Cup quarterfinals
Daigneault praises the Suns’ “competitiveness,” saying they’re a “feisty, detailed, hungry team.”
OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma City Thunder set a franchise record for their longest win streak at 16, blasting the Phoenix Suns, 138-89 in an NBA Cup quarterfinal game Dec. 10 before a sellout crowd of 18,203 at Paycom Center.
This marks the largest margin of defeat for the Suns.
The previous mark was 48, set twice in losses to the San Antonio Spurs and Portland Trail Blazers during the 2017-18 season.
The Thunder (24-1) led by as many as 53 points in eliminating the Suns (14-11) from NBA Cup play and advancing to the tournament semifinals to be played Dec. 13 in Las Vegas.
Phoenix will play the Los Angeles Lakers-San Antonio Spurs loser later this week.
The Suns (14-11) were without Devin Booker (right groin strain), Jalen Green (right hamstring strain) and two-way player Isaiah Livers (right hip strain).
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander paced Oklahoma City with 28 points in 27 minutes while Dillon Brooks scored a team-high 16 points on 4-of-16 shooting for Phoenix.
Thunder explode late in half, up big on Suns
Oklahoma City erupted for a 20-6 run in the final 3:53 of the first half to take a 74-48 halftime lead over the Phoenix Suns in the NBA Cup quarterfinals.
The Thunder hit six 3s with former Arizona State product Lu Dort nailing half of them.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads Oklahoma City with a game-high 17 points, while Suns forward Dillon Brooks has a team-high 14 points.
Oklahoma City is 13-of-19 from deep.
Suns guard Collin Gillespie went scoreless in the first half on 0-for-4 shooting.
Starting lineups for OKC-Phoenix NBA Cup quarterfinals
Devin Booker has been ruled out for this Thunder game after previously being listed as questionable with a right groin strain, while Jalen Green (right hamstring strain) and Isaiah Livers (right hip strain) were already ruled out.
The Suns will start Collin Gillespie, Grayson Allen, Dillon Brooks, Royce O’Neale and Mark Williams.
The Thunder are down Isaiah Hartenstein (right soleus strain) and Isaiah Joe (left knee contusion).
Oklahoma City is starting Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Cason Wallace, Lu Dort, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren.
“The discipline has got to be there. Playoff atmosphere.”
Suns forward Dillon Brooks on NBA Cup quarterfinals as he was with Rockets when they beat Warriors in 2024 quarterfinals to advance to semifinals in Vegas.
Suns at OKC tonight in NBA Cup quarterfinals.
On defending Shai… pic.twitter.com/H4FxFUUhto
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) December 10, 2025
Oklahoma City is the No. 1 seed in the West; Phoenix is a wild card.
Booker has missed Phoenix’s past two games with a right groin strain suffered Dec. 1 in the first quarter of a 125-108 road win over the Los Angeles Lakers.
He was scheduled for a re-evaluation this week. Booker leads the Suns in scoring at 25 points per game.
The Suns reached the NBA Cup quarterfinals two years ago, the first year of the event, then called the In-Season Tournament.
“Just being strong with the ball. Knowing how they play, their physicality. Being decisive. All those sort of things go into it. They try to speed you up.”
Suns big Mark Williams on facing OKC as Thunder first in the NBA in defensive rating.
On one-handed lob finish in Suns… pic.twitter.com/ARoo8eCR8D
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) December 10, 2025
They lost to the Los Angeles Lakers, 106-103, in Los Angeles, as a wild card after falling to them in group play, 122-119 in Phoenix.
The Lakers proceeded to win the inaugural tournament.
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Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.
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