Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's MVP case and 3 other takeaways from Thunder's win vs Suns

Learning to recover after absorbing opponent's best punch

As noted by SGA in his postgame presser, basketball is a game of runs. 

The Suns started the night off going 2-for-12 from the field before the Thunder ended the first quarter with a 28-24 lead. OKC extended that advantage to 20 points in the second quarter through a 25-9 run predicated on four straight steals and a slew of fastbreak layups. 

Phoenix then went on a 29-9 burst to chop the Thunder's lead to four by the end of the third period. The Thunder ultimately built a 19-5 run in the final quarter which proved to be the main catalyst for the win. 

It was a roller coaster game for Mark Daigneault's squad, emblematic of what would come for them in a playoff setting. 

These types of games test the Thunder’s ethos. The win was a sweet cherry on top of what was an excellent counter by Oklahoma City after absorbing a massive Suns burst in the third quarter. 

Earlier in the season, the Thunder also played a game similar to this, albeit in a loss. They were outscored 82-57 after leading by 21 points in the second quarter. It exploited the Thunder’s lack of urgency and questioned the team’s ability to recover from a slump. 

This win against the Suns certainly helped them silence some doubts about how they would face these situations under the bright lights of the postseason.