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The Phoenix Suns face the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 3 April 25 at Mortgage Matchup Center.
The 12:30 p.m. game will be televised on NBC and Peacock.
The Suns are down 2-0 in the best-of-7 first round series. They’re coming off a 120-107 loss in Game 2 April 22 in Oklahoma City.
The Thunder will be without Jalen Williams, who suffered a left hamstring strain in the third quarter of Game 2 and didn’t return. Williams scored 19 points in the first half against the Suns on Wednesday night.
He is a matchup problem because of his size at 6-5, 211 pounds ability to score off the bounce, shoot the 3 and playing off reigning NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander gives him advantage opportunities.
The Suns will likely give Gilgeous-Alexander the same defensive attention as he’s coming off a 37-point Game 2. Williams will likely miss Game 4 on April 27 in Phoenix, as the Thunder will look to re-evaluate him on a weekly basis.
Williams, who played high school ball at Perry High in Gilbert, only played 33 games this season due to multiple injuries as he averaged 17.1 points on 48.4% shooting. The Thunder went 39-10 without him.
Visit azcentral.com for live game updates.
Oklahoma City could start Cason Wallace for Williams. A defensive perimeter force, the 6-3 Wallace started 58 games this season. He averaged 8.6 points and 1.9 steals. The Thunder could also go with Ajay Mitchell to open the game.
More of an offensive threat than Wallace, Mitchell averaged 14.9 points on 49.4% shooting and 1.3 steals his 16 starts this season. He shot 41.7% from 3 as a starter.
Mitchell was Oklahoma City’s fourth-leading scorer in the regular season at 13.6 points a game on 48.5% shooting (34.7% from 3).
The 6-4 guard posted 14 points, five rebounds and five assists in Game 2.
Isaiah Joe is listed as doubtful for personal reasons. A key contributor off the bench, Joe is Oklahoma City’s fifth-leading scorer at 11.1 points a game in 71 games.
The Suns will be without Mark Williams for a fourth straight game as they’re listing him out with left foot soreness after having him out Game 2 under left foot third metatarsal stress reaction.
Oso Ighodaro has been starting in place of Williams with rookie Khaman Maluach serving as a backup. The 7-footer played the entire fourth quarter in place of Ighodaro and could be used even more in Game 3 because of his defensive rim presence and overall activity.
The Suns have Jordan Goodwin (left calf soreness) and Grayson Allen (left hamstring strain) listed as questionable but both fully practiced April 24 after missing Game 2.
Goodwin missed the second half of Game 1 after aggravating the calf injury he first suffered back in late February that sidelined him eight games counting a road game he missed March 13 against the Toronto Raptors under left calf injury management.
The Suns began to consistently start Goodwin, the team’s best perimeter defender, late in regular season as he averaged 10 points in his 10 starts in the regular season.
Collin Gillespie started Game 2 in place of Goodwin, posting seven points on 3-of-9 shooting (1-of-5 on 3s), six rebounds, six assists to two turnovers and two steals.
Gillespie was called for four personal fouls.
Allen hasn’t played in Phoenix’s last five games after suffering the hamstring injury on the road versus the Los Angeles Lakers. He’s been available the last three games for what Suns coach Jordan Ott called emergency situations like last play of a game.
Allen averaged a career-high 16.5 points in the regular season, but he only played 51 games due to multiple injuries.
If he plays, the Suns will have another scorer who can space the floor with his 3-point shooting and get into the paint. Phoenix finished the regular season next to last in points in the paint at 43.1 a game. In the playoffs, the Suns are last among the 16 playoff teams at 33.
Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at [email protected] or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.
Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix Suns vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Game 3. Live updates
Continue reading...
The 12:30 p.m. game will be televised on NBC and Peacock.
The Suns are down 2-0 in the best-of-7 first round series. They’re coming off a 120-107 loss in Game 2 April 22 in Oklahoma City.
The Thunder will be without Jalen Williams, who suffered a left hamstring strain in the third quarter of Game 2 and didn’t return. Williams scored 19 points in the first half against the Suns on Wednesday night.
He is a matchup problem because of his size at 6-5, 211 pounds ability to score off the bounce, shoot the 3 and playing off reigning NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander gives him advantage opportunities.
The Suns will likely give Gilgeous-Alexander the same defensive attention as he’s coming off a 37-point Game 2. Williams will likely miss Game 4 on April 27 in Phoenix, as the Thunder will look to re-evaluate him on a weekly basis.
Williams, who played high school ball at Perry High in Gilbert, only played 33 games this season due to multiple injuries as he averaged 17.1 points on 48.4% shooting. The Thunder went 39-10 without him.
Visit azcentral.com for live game updates.
OKC options with Williams out
Oklahoma City could start Cason Wallace for Williams. A defensive perimeter force, the 6-3 Wallace started 58 games this season. He averaged 8.6 points and 1.9 steals. The Thunder could also go with Ajay Mitchell to open the game.
More of an offensive threat than Wallace, Mitchell averaged 14.9 points on 49.4% shooting and 1.3 steals his 16 starts this season. He shot 41.7% from 3 as a starter.
Mitchell was Oklahoma City’s fourth-leading scorer in the regular season at 13.6 points a game on 48.5% shooting (34.7% from 3).
The 6-4 guard posted 14 points, five rebounds and five assists in Game 2.
Isaiah Joe is listed as doubtful for personal reasons. A key contributor off the bench, Joe is Oklahoma City’s fifth-leading scorer at 11.1 points a game in 71 games.
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Suns injury update
The Suns will be without Mark Williams for a fourth straight game as they’re listing him out with left foot soreness after having him out Game 2 under left foot third metatarsal stress reaction.
Oso Ighodaro has been starting in place of Williams with rookie Khaman Maluach serving as a backup. The 7-footer played the entire fourth quarter in place of Ighodaro and could be used even more in Game 3 because of his defensive rim presence and overall activity.
You must be registered for see images
The Suns have Jordan Goodwin (left calf soreness) and Grayson Allen (left hamstring strain) listed as questionable but both fully practiced April 24 after missing Game 2.
Goodwin missed the second half of Game 1 after aggravating the calf injury he first suffered back in late February that sidelined him eight games counting a road game he missed March 13 against the Toronto Raptors under left calf injury management.
The Suns began to consistently start Goodwin, the team’s best perimeter defender, late in regular season as he averaged 10 points in his 10 starts in the regular season.
Collin Gillespie started Game 2 in place of Goodwin, posting seven points on 3-of-9 shooting (1-of-5 on 3s), six rebounds, six assists to two turnovers and two steals.
Gillespie was called for four personal fouls.
Allen hasn’t played in Phoenix’s last five games after suffering the hamstring injury on the road versus the Los Angeles Lakers. He’s been available the last three games for what Suns coach Jordan Ott called emergency situations like last play of a game.
Allen averaged a career-high 16.5 points in the regular season, but he only played 51 games due to multiple injuries.
If he plays, the Suns will have another scorer who can space the floor with his 3-point shooting and get into the paint. Phoenix finished the regular season next to last in points in the paint at 43.1 a game. In the playoffs, the Suns are last among the 16 playoff teams at 33.
Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at [email protected] or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.
Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix Suns vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Game 3. Live updates
Continue reading...
