The Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Phoenix Suns 99-83 to start their 2024 Emirates NBA Cup campaign. The Phoenix shot an anemic 22-for-75 (29.3%) from the field and 9-for-37 (24.3%) from the field. depth.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 28 points on 25 shots, adding six rebounds (three offensive), four assists and one block.

Jalen Williams rounded out the scoring with 14 points on 6-for-16 shooting, eight rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks.

Luguentz Dort contributed 15 points, nine rebounds (three offensive), two assists, one block and a defensive chase on Suns All-Star guard Devin Booker.

Oklahoma City started Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams, Dort, Isaiah Joe and Cason Wallace for the second straight game.

The Suns — without Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal and Grayson Allen — started Tyus Jones, Devin Booker, Josh Okogie, Ryan Dunn and Jusuf Nurkic.

Dort made five wide-open 3-pointers in the first four minutes of the game, making just his fourth to give the Thunder a 6-4 lead. Four different Oklahoma City starters drained three to open the team’s scoring, punctuated by a Gilgeous-Alexander step-back triple over a competing Booker.

The Thunder feasted on Phoenix’s interior defense with or without Nurkic on the floor, executing unselfish ball movements and well-timed cuts to extend their lead to double digits. They went 7-for-8 in the restricted area in the first quarter.

Oklahoma City also used dominant defense throughout the opening period, holding the Suns to 14 points on 3-of-21 shooting and 1-of-11 from downtown. Booker, who has scored 23.3 points per game on 57.7 percent shooting this season, missed his first six field goal attempts, including four paint shots and two mid-range jumpers. It went scoreless in the first inning, thanks in large part to relentless double teams.

Mark Daigneault unsuccessfully contested a defensive foul by Aaron Wiggins in the final minute when Wiggins made contact with Josh Okogie’s arm before he cleared the ball. Oklahoma City led 29-14 after 12 minutes.

Despite atrocious shooting in the first two quarters, Phoenix stayed in the game, driving the ball down low and generating free throws. Nurkic, Okogie and Monte Morris shot 17 times at the line and made 11 — compared to the Thunder’s combined 3-for-3 production.

Oklahoma City allowed a team-low 36 points in the first half, scoring 48 points to take a double-digit halftime lead. Joe made a 3-pointer from the right corner with 46 seconds left in the second quarter after Dunn scored five straight points — a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer and a cutting floater — to push the lead to nine .

Joe made a hanging reverse layup while fouled by Okogie, making the free throw to push the Thunder lead to 59-39. Phoenix scored 10 points in two minutes midway through the third quarter, including back-to-back 3-pointers from Jones and Royce O’Neale, for their only sustained offensive stretch of the night.

Ajay Mitchell made a game-high 3-pointer and a layup, each off offensive rebounds, to end the third quarter. Oklahoma City held an 83-60 advantage thanks to outstanding shot defense and scored 44 points in the paint to the Suns’ 18.

The Thunder wrap up their six-game homestand against the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday, November 17 at 6:00 PM CST.

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