Thunder 103, Suns 135: The Day After Report

did:plc:nioytmo2v3ksqz5izswivco6 April 13, 2026

Source

NBA.com Box Score | CourtSketch Play-by-Play

Nuggets & Notes

The Suns won while most of the Thunder's playoff rotation rested for the second straight game, concluding another dominant Oklahoma City regular season with a 64-18 record.
Next weekend on First Take: The Thunder opens the playoffs on a two-game losing streak, facing a first-round opponent that has won at least one in a row. Is OKC vulnerable for an upset?
Our wishcasting must be jinxing Jared McCain, as the sophomore yet again struggled to cash in with the spot start. McCain scored 9 points and went 0-4 from three. But he did go 1-1 on dunks.

Jared McCain with the steal and slam 💥

SGA was JACKED UP! pic.twitter.com/Bj5CTQebuj

— NBA (@NBA) April 13, 2026

The FanDuel broadcasting experience is officially over (the Thunder are seeking a new partner for next season). I look forward to watching Michael Cage and company again, but let's hope that it's on a higher quality feed next time around.
Nikola Topic produced again in 39 minutes. 18 points and 14 assists on 50% shooting. The unassuming rookie is not shy on the court.
Nor is Branden Carlson. The 7-footer can hustle and score, and he lit it up again with his extended opportunity. 26 points, 10 boards, 5 blocks, and 2 steals in 42 minutes.
Two-wayers Carlson, Brooks Barnhizer (5 pts, 2-8 FGA), and Payton Sandfort (23 pts, 5-9 3PA) finished off their season. As a reminder, they are not eligible for postseason play.
If JoeCain fades during the playoffs, take heart: ToNails will rise again in the preseason.
In lieu of more real analysis for this all-important game, here's yet another killer upgrade from the data crowd: a live box score of the game at CourtSketch. You can query on Topic's interactions with teammates and defenders, track Mark Daigneault's rotation from start to finish, and notice all kind of key indicators in a visually appealing format.
CourtSketch also unveiled a lineup/play-by-play dashboard that I used to see how Shai & Chet lineups, minus unlikely postseason cogs, fared against the league's top-10 teams by net rating:

via CourtSketch

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