What a start for the reigning champs! They defeated Phoenix by 35 points and looked truly dominant. Game 2 is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Central on April 22, so both teams have a couple of days to watch film and make adjustments. 

Here are the biggest takeaways from the Game 1 massacre. 

The Suns shot 34.9% from the field and only managed to scrape together 84 total points. Yikes! Devin Booker had a solid game as a scorer, but he received minimal help from Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks. 

Turnovers were the biggest issue, as Phoenix made many careless passes and struggled to even dribble against Oklahoma City’s ball pressure. This is what happens when the roster lacks point guards and instead has combo guards or shooting guards like Booker and Green running actions. The Thunder racked up 34 points off turnovers compared to only two points for the Suns. It’s impossible to win basketball games with this chasm. 

Here is what Suns Head Coach Jordan Ott had to say about the matter during his post-game interview: “They are as good as anyone in the gaps. If you don’t make the pass on time, they swallow you up.”

Meanwhile, 38.3% of Phoenix’s total points came from inside the paint during the regular season – this plummeted to 28.6% in Game 1. Generating paint attempts was a struggle for the Suns’ guards, and Chet Holmgren often erased them when Phoenix did manage to knife its way into the paint. 

Overall, the champs showed how dominant their defense is when rested and healthy. 

Williams recorded 22 points, seven rebounds, six assists and two stocks on 9-of-15 shooting from the field. He looked explosive and as if his wrist or hamstring were never injured. Oklahoma City is close to unbeatable when Williams is firing on all cylinders, so Game 1 was a great sign for the champs. 

When asked about how difficult it is to not be mindful about his previous injuries when playing, here’s what Williams had to say during his post-game interview: “My mindset is just like a totally new year now. My year four is done. The playoffs are a totally different year in my mind. That’s how I approach it, so I don’t really think about it anymore. I also pushed myself to a point while I was injured to not even have to think about it because of how good I feel. So that’s how I approach it.” 

The reigning league MVP shot 5-of-18 from the field and missed open jumpers he usually makes. However, rust was a factor because he had not played since April 8, and Gilgeous-Alexander has historically been a little loose in the first round. 

But Thunder fans should not be worried in the slightest. He rarely has two bad games in a row and seemingly always finds his rhythm against elite competition.