Thunder begin playoff run against Suns as quest for repeat starts Sunday

Oklahoma City opens the first round Sunday against Phoenix after the Suns advanced through the Western Conference play-in tournament.

Apr. 19, 2026 at 4:08am

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A fragmented, cubist-style painting depicting the action and energy of a basketball game, with sharp geometric shapes and planes of vibrant orange, blue, and purple colors.The Thunder's quest for a second straight NBA title begins with a first-round clash against the Suns, a battle of two of the Western Conference's top teams.Oklahoma City Today

The Oklahoma City Thunder begin their quest for a second straight NBA championship on Sunday, facing the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the playoffs. The Thunder enter the postseason as one of the league's top teams and will have home-court advantage throughout the first round.

Why it matters

The Thunder are looking to become the first team to repeat as NBA champions since the Golden State Warriors in 2017-18. The Suns, led by a veteran core, are coming off a momentum-building win in the play-in tournament and will look to pull off an upset against the top-seeded Thunder.

The details

Oklahoma City and Phoenix met five times during the regular season, including an extra matchup in NBA Cup play. Now the stakes rise significantly as the Thunder begin their push for back-to-back titles against the Suns. The Thunder enter the postseason as one of the league's top teams and will have home-court advantage throughout the first round.

  • The Thunder's first-round playoff series against the Suns begins on Sunday, April 20, 2026.
  • The Suns advanced to the first round by defeating the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference play-in tournament on Friday, April 18, 2026.

The players

Mark Daigneault

The head coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Ajay Mitchell

A forward for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

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What they’re saying

“We watched it. Obviously it's a short turnaround. We need to figure out who we're playing. It was an impressive win by them. The shot making down the stretch stood out.”

— Mark Daigneault, Head Coach, Oklahoma City Thunder

“I stayed up until the first half and I went to bed. I woke up this morning to check who won, but I just saw the first half.”

— Ajay Mitchell, Forward, Oklahoma City Thunder

What’s next

Game 1 of the Thunder's first-round playoff series against the Suns is scheduled for Sunday, April 20, 2026 in Oklahoma City.

The takeaway

The Thunder's quest for a second straight NBA championship begins on Sunday as they take on the Suns in the first round of the playoffs. With home-court advantage and a veteran-led Suns team coming off a play-in tournament win, this series promises to be a hard-fought battle between two of the Western Conference's top teams.