Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 131-122 victory over the Phoenix Suns, completing a Round 1 playoff sweep. The Thunder now prepare to face the Lakers or Rockets in Round 2 of the NBA playoffs.
Apr 27, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) reacts against the Phoenix Suns in the first half during game four of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Not much celebration happened. The Oklahoma City Thunder completed a Round 1 sweep for the third consecutive year. This time, it was against the Phoenix Suns. They hope their postseason journey ends with another NBA championship. Great start to that ambition.
The Thunder had a 131-122 Game 4 win over the Suns. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was on a mission in OKC's four-day trip to Arizona. He wanted to take care of business against the eighth seed â even without Jalen Williams.
Gilgeous-Alexander had 31 points and eight assists to tie a nice bow to this mundane Round 1 series. Entering the matchup, the Thunder were the overwhelming favorite. Exiting it, they showed the Suns they're still eons away from being within the same zone as OKC.
Now, the Thunder get ready for Round 2. Expect that to be more competitive. Odds are, they'll face the Los Angeles Lakers. They have a 3-1 series lead over the . If that's the case, and potentially will get a chance to rewrite their year. OKC had its number. But we know the regular season is a different beast compared to the NBA playoffs. Gilgeous-Alexander talked about either pathway.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31 points and provided eight assists in the Thunder's Round 1 series against the Suns.
The Oklahoma City Thunder completed a Round 1 sweep against the Phoenix Suns, winning the series 4-0.
The Oklahoma City Thunder will face either the Los Angeles Lakers or the Houston Rockets in Round 2 of the NBA playoffs.
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"It'll either be Lakers or Houston. They each impose their challenges. Houston is more defensive. The Lakers a little more offensive. But they're both really good teams," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "To make it out of that series, you have to do a lot of things right. So we won't take them lightly."
As Gilgeous-Alexander said, the Thunder should be favored in either playoff series. They're likely rooting for the Rockets to keep their season alive with a Game 6 win in Los Angeles. Not only will it give them some rest advantage, but it will also boost Williams' odds to be ready by Game 1. He's dealing with a third hamstring strain in four months.
We're still waiting on the other seven Round 1 series to play out, but the early stages of the 2026 NBA playoffs have shown that the Thunder and San Antonio Spurs remain in their own tier as the league's top two teams. Feels like we're heading for a collision course between those two in the Western Conference Finals.
"I've already been watching all of the Lakers and Houston series," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "Just continue to do so, watch both teams, see their strengths and weaknesses.â
This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander previews Lakers, Rockets Round 2 playoff opponent