Thunder, with healthier Jalen Williams, visit Suns before break
The Phoenix Suns built a 31-point lead while beating Dallas to break a three-game home losing streak on Tuesday.
Now a stiffer test awaits.
The Suns' final game before the All-Star break will present a bigger challenge as the Oklahoma City Thunder visit in the second of a back-to-back Wednesday.
The teams have shared some moments this season. The Thunder handed the Suns the worst loss in franchise history in the NBA Cup quarterfinals on Dec. 10, a 138-89 rout in Oklahoma City. All-Star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 28 points and Suns All-Star guard Devin Booker did not play in that game.
Gilgeous-Alexander is out and Booker is back this time, and the Suns will look to find the formula they used in a 108-105 home win against the Thunder the last time they met on Jan. 4.
The Suns are 12-8 since.
The Thunder are 11-8 since Jan. 4 following a 119-110 victory at the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday. Jalen Williams returned from a strained right hamstring that cost him 10 games and scored 23 points in 24 monitored minutes.
"He slammed the door on that game," Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. "It was impressive. He has such a body of work that we're not overly concerned about how he plays coming back.
"We're just happy he's back and ready to get him back on the train. We know he's a big-time player."
The Suns' Dillon Brooks and Booker had 23 and 19 points, respectively, in the 120-111 victory over Dallas on Tuesday, leading a cast of seven double-digit scorers that included reserves Oso Ighodaro (10 points, 10 rebounds) and Jalen Green (12 points).
Green played 20 minutes in his second game back from hamstring and hip injuries, and his return adds another weapon. Green has played only seven games, with Collin Gillespie stepping in to take many of his minutes at guard.
"Just a shot-creation piece that we have really searched for all year when ‘Book' is not on the floor," Suns coach Jordan Ott said in reference to Booker. "Now that that ball's going to be back in Jalen and Book's hands, we're adjusting to that on the fly.
"In these couple of days (of the All-Star break), there will be a lot of communication about where we want to go for the last half season."
Williams, too, has missed time. He has played only 25 games, sitting out the first 19 after right wrist surgery. The Thunder are 23-6 without him, and he said that success in his absence has given him a boost.
"That's given me a lot of confidence to go in there and not feel the weight of the world is on me a little bit," said Williams, an All-Star last season when Oklahoma City won the NBA championship.
The Thunder held the Lakers to 19 fourth-quarter points in their first victory without reigning MVP Gilgeous-Alexander, who has missed the last three with an abdominal injury that will keep him out through the NBA All-Star Game.
"We did a really good job down the stretch of making them work and eat up a lot of clock," Williams said.
Third-year guard Cason Wallace had 12 points and six assists against the Lakers, and he has 20 assists in the last four games as the Thunder look for ways to counter the loss of primary ball-handler Gilgeous-Alexander.
"When you have the mix of handlers that are out," Daigneault said, "it changes the complexion of the team. When you are in an impermanent circumstance like we are, we're trying to think about what investments we can make that we can carry with us when we are whole."
The teams will meet five teams this season because of that extra Cup game. Oklahoma City holds a 2-1 series edge.