PHOENIX (AP) — Jalen Williams scored 33 points, Chet Holmgren added 22 and the short-handed Oklahoma City Thunder beat Phoenix 125-112 on Wednesday night, eliminating the Suns from the playoff race.
Phoenix will miss the playoffs for the first time since 2020 despite having a roster that included the high-priced All-Star trio of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal.
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Oklahoma City Thunder guard Aaron Wiggins drives around Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal (3) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, April 9, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Isaiah Joe (11) drives around Phoenix Suns center Mason Plumlee during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, April 9, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Phoenix Suns guard Grayson Allen (8) fights for the loose ball with Oklahoma City Thunder guard Isaiah Joe during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, April 9, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren (7) shoots over Phoenix Suns forward Ryan Dunn during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, April 9, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Dillon Jones drives on Phoenix Suns guard Collin Gillespie (12) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, April 9, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Phoenix Suns forward Royce O'Neale (00) knocks the ball away from Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, April 9, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
The Thunder have already wrapped up the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference playoffs and were without several key players on Wednesday, including All-Star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, defensive star Luguentz Dort and center Isaiah Hartenstein.
That didn't stop them from topping the Suns, who have lost eight straight.
Oklahoma City trailed for nearly the entire first half but rallied in the third quarter for a 105-93 advantage entering the fourth. Williams — who played high school basketball in suburban Phoenix — shot 13 of 23 from the field.
The Suns were led by Beal's 25 points. Booker added 20 points and 14 assists. Durant missed the game with a sprained ankle suffered last week.
Thunder: Oklahoma City won its 66th game of the season without three of its best players. The Thunder have won 21 of their past 23 and are just trying to stay heatlhy as the playoffs approach.
Suns: A miserable season will end without a trip to the postseason. Phoenix entered the season with championship aspirations, but the Durant-Booker-Beal combo never completely gelled and the supporting cast was inconsistent. First-year coach Mike Budenholzer might not be around to lead the team for a second as an offseason of upheavel looms.
The Thunder ended the third quarter on a 12-2 run to take control.
After starting the season with an 8-1 record, the Suns are 27-44.
The Thunder are on the road against the Jazz and the Suns host the Spurs on Friday night.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Aaron Wiggins drives around Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal (3) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, April 9, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Isaiah Joe (11) drives around Phoenix Suns center Mason Plumlee during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, April 9, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Phoenix Suns guard Grayson Allen (8) fights for the loose ball with Oklahoma City Thunder guard Isaiah Joe during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, April 9, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren (7) shoots over Phoenix Suns forward Ryan Dunn during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, April 9, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Dillon Jones drives on Phoenix Suns guard Collin Gillespie (12) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, April 9, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Phoenix Suns forward Royce O'Neale (00) knocks the ball away from Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, April 9, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
The Eastern Conference semifinals are set: We already knew it was Cleveland vs. Indiana, and now we've got Boston vs. New York in the other bracket.
As for the Western Conference, the wait continues.
Jalen Brunson scored 40 points and the Knicks are into Round 2 of the NBA playoffs after beating Detroit in Game 6 on Thursday night, ending a series where the road team won each of the final five games.
And the Los Angeles Clippers forced a Game 7 against the Denver Nuggets, winning in LA on Thursday night to extend that series to the ultimate.
There's one game on Friday — Game 6 between Golden State and Houston, with the Warriors looking to finish off that series.
All times Eastern
9 p.m. — Houston at Golden State (ESPN)
All times Eastern
7:30 p.m. — LA Clippers at Denver (TNT)
All times Eastern
6 or 8 p.m. — Indiana at Cleveland (TNT)
8:30 p.m. — Golden State at Houston (TNT, if necessary)
(If there is no Golden State-Houston game, the Indiana-Cleveland game will start at 8 p.m.)
Oklahoma City (+150) is favored to win the NBA title, according to BetMGM Sportsbook, followed closely by Boston (+200). After that, it's Cleveland (+500), Golden State (+1800), Minnesota (+1800), the Los Angeles Clippers (+3000), New York (+4000), Denver (+4000), Indiana (+6600) and Houston (+12500).
On Thursday, Boston’s Jrue Holiday was named the league’s sportsmanship award winner for the second time.
Other awards so far:
— Atlanta’s Dyson Daniels won most improved player.
— San Antonio's Stephon Castle won rookie of the year.
— Golden State's Stephen Curry won the Twyman-Stokes teammate of the year award.
— Golden State's Draymond Green won the hustle award.
— Cleveland’s Evan Mobley won defensive player of the year.
— New York's Jalen Brunson won clutch player of the year.
— Boston's Payton Pritchard won sixth man of the year.
— Cleveland’s Kenny Atkinson wins NBCA coach of the year award.
The league has not announced a schedule for other awards — including MVP and coach of the year — along with All-NBA, All-Rookie and All-Defensive teams.
The highest-scoring games by players so far in this year's playoffs:
43 — Jamal Murray, Denver vs. LA Clippers, April 29
43 — Anthony Edwards, Minnesota vs. LA Lakers, April 27
40 — Jalen Brunson, New York at Detroit, May 1
39 — Kawhi Leonard, LA Clippers at Denver, April 21
38 — Luka Doncic, LA Lakers at Minnesota, April 27
38 — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City at Memphis, April 26
38 — LeBron James, LA Lakers at Minnesota, April 25
38 — Jalen Green, Houston vs. Golden State, April 23
Sunday — Round 2 of the playoffs starts.
May 12 — Draft lottery, Chicago.
May 18 or 20 — Game 1, Western Conference finals.
May 19 or 21 — Game 1, Eastern Conference finals.
June 5 — Game 1, NBA Finals. (Other games: June 8, June 11, June 13, June 16, June 19 and Game 7, if necessary, will be June 22.)
June 25 — NBA draft, first round.
June 26 — NBA draft, second round.
— Preview of Friday's game: Rockets-Warriors.
— Giannis Antetokounmpo has a decision to make. Stay or go?
— Tyrese Haliburton wasn't happy with his dad's postgame celebration.
— A look inside the numbers of this season, headed into the playoffs
— Detroit now has sole possession of the longest home losing streak in NBA playoff history, after extending that drought to 10 games — since 2008 — with Thursday's loss to New York. Philadelphia dropped nine straight from 1968 through 1971. Miami has lost eight straight at home in playoff games; play-in games don't count in that figure.
— The Knicks had the 20th instance in NBA history of a team going 3-0 or better in road games in a single playoff series. This doesn't include three teams — Boston, Toronto and Miami — who went 3-0 (or in the Celtics' case, 4-0) in “road” games during a series in the bubble at Walt Disney World in 2020.
— Detroit's Malik Beasley finished the season with 339 made 3-pointers, 12th-most in NBA history (including playoffs) and the most of anyone not named Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, James Harden or Luka Doncic.
— James Harden played 46 minutes, 35 seconds in the Clippers' win over Denver. That's the most he's ever logged in a non-overtime game and pushed him over the 3,000-minute mark for the season for the eighth time in his career. Among active players, only LeBron James has more 3,000-minute seasons. Thursday was only the second time he played the second, third and fourth quarters in full without a rest; the other was a Christmas Day game for Philadelphia in 2022.
— Denver's David Adelman will become the 110th Game 7 coach in NBA history (and got there in just his 10th career game). Clippers coach Tyronn Lue will look to join Red Auerbach as the only coaches to win their first five Game 7s; Lue is 4-0, Auerbach was 8-0 in his career. Lue will try to be the first coach to win three Game 7s on the road.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba
Minnesota Timberwolves co-owner Alex Rodriguez, left, questions a non call as Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves looks on during the second half in Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Wednesday, April 30, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry watches from the bench during the second half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets, Wednesday, April 30, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla encourages his players during the first half in Game 4 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series against the Orlando Magic, Sunday, April 27, 2025, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Detroit Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, center, tries to argue a non-call after the New York Knicks won Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series in Detroit, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (David Guralnick/Detroit News via AP)
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) celebrates after making a 3-point shot during the second half of Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers, Sunday, April 27, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Indiana Pacers' Myles Turner (33) reacts after dunking over Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo during the second half of Game 4 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series Sunday, April 27, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)
Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (4) scores against the Miami Heat during the second half in Game 3 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Saturday, April 26, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Michael Laughlin)
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (8) shoots the ball past Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane (22) during the first half in Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Saturday, April 26, 2025, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon, bottom, and Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac (40) reach for a rebound during the first half in Game 3 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Thursday, April 24, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) celebrates after making a 3-point basket during the second half of Game 3 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets in San Francisco, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis reacts after scoring a basket during the second half in Game 3 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Indiana Pacers, Friday, April 25, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) gestures after making a 3-point shot during the second half of Game 3 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers, Friday, April 25, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero celebrates a 3-point shot against the Boston Celtics during the first half in game 3 of a first-round NBA playoff basketball series,, Friday, April 25, 2025, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Chris Paul, right, gestures as Bob Iger looks on during the first half in Game 3 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Denver Nuggets, Thursday, April 24, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, center, shoots as Los Angeles Clippers guard Bogdan Bogdanovic, left, and center Ivica Zubac defend during the second half in Game 3 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Thursday, April 24, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) celebrates with teammates during the first half of Game 3 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Detroit Pistons, Thursday, April 24, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)
Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant looks on from the bench in the first half of Game 3 of an NBA first-round playoff series against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Thursday, April 24, 2025, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren dunks during the second half in Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff series against the Memphis Grizzlies, Tuesday, April 22, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Kyle Phillips)
Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) celebrates after a basket against the Milwaukee Bucks during the second half of a first-round NBA basketball playoff game in Indianapolis, Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) goes to the basket against Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (27) and forward Jaden McDaniels (3) during the second half of Game 2 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff in Los Angeles, Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)
Memphis Grizzlies interim coach Tuomas Iisalo looks up during the first half in Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff series against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)
Boston Celtics' Jaylen Brown leaves the court after defeating the Orlando Magic in game 1 of a first-round NBA playoff basketball series Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Ty Jerome (2) celebrates in front of teammate Sam Merrill in the second half in Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff series against the Miami Heat, Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III (10) dunks during the second half of Game 1 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets in Houston, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns hugs his dad, Karl Towns, Sr., following Game 1 in an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Detroit Pistons, Saturday, April 19, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Indiana Pacers' Andrew Nembhard (2) celebrates after making a 3-point basket during the first half of a first-round NBA basketball playoff game against the Milwaukee Bucks, Saturday, April 19, 2025, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray gestures to the crowd after hitting a 3-point basket against the Los Angeles Clippers in the second half of Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff series Saturday, April 19, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Alex Rodriguez, co-owner, of the Minnesota Timberwolves, claps during the second half in Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff series Los Angeles Lakers, Saturday, April 19, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves, left, and forward LeBron James celebrate at the bench during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Houston Rockets Friday, April 11, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Fans react as Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) celebrates after making a 3-point basket during the second half of an NBA play-in tournament basketball game against the Memphis Grizzlies in San Francisco, Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (14) fights for the ball in overtime of an NBA play-in tournament basketball game against the Atlanta Hawks, Friday, April 18, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Los Angeles Lakers' Luka Doncic sits on the bench looking up at a video that was played in the arena as a tribute to the former Mavericks player before an NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks in Dallas, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
