OKC Thunder vs Phoenix Suns Prediction & Match Preview - December 29th, 2021 | NBA Season 2021-22
The Oklahoma City Thunder will travel to the Footprint Center for a Western Conference matchup against the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday, December 29. In an earlier game between the two teams, the Suns secured a stunning win over the Thunder. Devin Booker scored 30 points in that game to lead the team to a win.
The OKC Thunder have not had the greatest of runs since that defeat. They come into this game after facing another loss to the Sacramento Kings. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 33 points, but his efforts were not enough to lead the team to a win on the night.
A matchup against the Suns is not ideal for the Thunder. However, they have defeated some high-profile teams this season and will be looking to do the same when they visit the Suns in Arizona.
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The Suns, on the other hand, come into this game on the back of a defeat at the hands of the Memphis Grizzlies. Devin Booker knocked down a possible game-winner, but it was canceled out by Ja Morant, who drove to the basket in the dying seconds to help the Grizzlies finish the game 114-113 in their favor. It was also Phoenix's second consecutive loss. They will be hoping to turn things around and get back to winning ways by putting in a dominant performance at home.
Match Details
Fixture: Oklahoma City Thunder vs Phoenix Suns | NBA Season 2021-22
Date & Time: Wednesday, December 29, 10:00 PM ET [Thursday, December 30, 7:30 AM IST]
Venue: Footprint Center, Phoenix, AZ
Oklahoma City Thunder Preview
The OKC Thunder have a young team with a lot of exciting prospects. They hold a 12-21 record and currently sit fourteenth in the Western Conference. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been playing extremely well this season as his stock continues to rise around the league. He has also received good cover from rookie Josh Giddey coming off the bench. The team are a bit short handed going into this game, which will put some added pressure on Gilgeous-Alexander, who will need to be at his best in this game on the road.
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Key Player - Shai Gilgeous - Alexander
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has had a stellar season with the Thunder, averaging 22.7 PPG on 42.0% shooting from the field. The 22 year old is making his case to be selected for this year's All-Star team. Despite his brilliance, the team's overall performance has made for great viewing. Gilgeous-Alexander comes into this game on the back of scoring 33 points against the Sacramento Kings. The guard will look to repeat his exploits by having a great game against the Suns.
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Oklahoma City Thunder Predicted Lineup
G - Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, G - Aaron Wiggins, F - Luguentz Dort, F - Paul Watson, C - Isaiah Roby
Phoenix Suns Preview
The Phoenix Suns have been red-hot this season. Their roster is full of talented hoopers, with each one of them showing up for the team. Phoenix are currently second in the West, holding a record of 26-7. The team have lost two games in a row, keeping them in second spot behind only the Warriors. They will come into the game all guns blazing to get to a win and possibly re-claim the top place in the Conference.
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Key Player - Devin Booker
Devin Booker has been in good shape ever since returning from injury. He had a bad game on Christmas Day, but made up for it with a 30 point performance against the Grizzlies. Booker looked to have hit the game-winning bucket before Ja Morant decided to spoil the party for the Suns. The game against the Thunder is another chance for Booker to show what he is capable of. He will be keen to put in a big scoring night and lead the Suns to their twenty-seventh win of the season.
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Phoenix Suns Predicted Lineup
G - Chris Paul, G - Devin Booker, F - Mikal Bridges, F - Cameron Johnson, C - JaVale McGee
Thunder vs Suns Match Prediction
The OKC Thunder do not have their roster at full strength for this game. This clearly gives the Suns a much better shot at victory due to their close to ideal starting lineup. Phoenix also have the added advantage of being able to call upon their superstars Devin Booker and Chris Paul for this encounter.
Where to watch the Thunder vs Suns game?
All NBA games will be made available to stream live on the official NBA app. The game between the Thunder and the Suns will also be locally telecast on Bally Sports Oklahoma and Bally Sports Arizona.