{"id":439304,"date":"2025-12-11T04:32:12","date_gmt":"2025-12-11T04:32:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/439304\/"},"modified":"2025-12-11T04:32:12","modified_gmt":"2025-12-11T04:32:12","slug":"suns-suffer-worst-loss-in-franchise-history-fall-to-red-hot-thunder","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/439304\/","title":{"rendered":"Suns suffer worst loss in franchise history, fall to red-hot Thunder"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"play\"<\/p>\n

Thunder coach Mark Daigneault praises Suns before NBA Cup quarterfinals<\/p>\n

Daigneault praises the Suns’ “competitiveness,” saying they’re a “feisty, detailed, hungry team.”<\/p>\n

OKLAHOMA CITY \u2014 The Oklahoma City Thunder set a franchise record for their longest win streak at 16, blasting the Phoenix Suns<\/a>, 138-89 in an NBA Cup quarterfinal game Dec. 10 before a sellout crowd of 18,203 at Paycom Center.<\/p>\n

This marks the largest margin of defeat for the Suns.<\/p>\n

The previous mark was 48, set twice in losses to the San Antonio Spurs and Portland Trail Blazers during the 2017-18 season.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Phoenix will play the Los Angeles Lakers-San Antonio Spurs loser later this week.<\/p>\n

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).<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Thunder explode late in half, up big on Suns<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

The Thunder hit six 3s with former Arizona State product Lu Dort nailing half of them.<\/p>\n

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads Oklahoma City with a game-high 17 points, while Suns forward Dillon Brooks has a team-high 14 points.<\/p>\n

Oklahoma City is 13-of-19 from deep.<\/p>\n

Suns guard Collin Gillespie went scoreless in the first half on 0-for-4 shooting.<\/p>\n

Read more: <\/strong>Suns’ Grayson Allen ejected after collision with Chet Holmgren<\/a><\/p>\n

Starting lineups for OKC-Phoenix NBA Cup quarterfinals<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

The Suns will start Collin Gillespie, Grayson Allen, Dillon Brooks, Royce O’Neale and Mark Williams.<\/p>\n

The Thunder are down Isaiah Hartenstein (right soleus strain) and Isaiah Joe (left knee contusion).<\/p>\n

Oklahoma City is starting Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Cason Wallace, Lu Dort, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren.<\/p>\n

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“The discipline has got to be there. Playoff atmosphere.”<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Suns at OKC tonight in NBA Cup quarterfinals.<\/p>\n

On defending Shai\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/H4FxFUUhto<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) December 10, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Oklahoma City is the No. 1 seed in the West; Phoenix is a wild card.<\/p>\n

Booker has missed Phoenix\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

He was scheduled for a re-evaluation this week. Booker leads the Suns in scoring at 25 points per game.<\/p>\n

The Suns reached the NBA Cup quarterfinals two years ago, the first year of the event, then called the In-Season Tournament.<\/p>\n

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“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.”<\/p>\n

Suns big Mark Williams on facing OKC as Thunder first in the NBA in defensive rating.<\/p>\n

On one-handed lob finish in Suns\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/ARoo8eCR8D<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) December 10, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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.<\/p>\n

The Lakers proceeded to win the inaugural tournament.<\/p>\n

Visit azcentral.com<\/a> for updates.<\/p>\n

Have opinions about the current state of the\u00a0Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at\u00a0dmrankin@gannett.com<\/a>\u00a0or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at\u00a0@DuaneRankin<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Support local journalism: Subscribe to\u00a0azcentral.com<\/a>\u00a0today.<\/p>\n