Thunder at Suns
The Phoenix Suns continue a challenging home stretch when they host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday. The Suns snapped a two-game losing streak with a clutch 109-93 win at Portland to remain tied with eighth-place Memphis, which would gain the final playoff spot over Phoenix by virtue of a tiebreaker if the postseason began today. Including the visit from the Thunder, the Suns also host the Grizzlies and visit Dallas - which is a half-game up - and San Antonio in the stretch run.
"Our destiny is in our own hands, because we still play Dallas and Memphis," said guard Goran Dragic, who had 19 points to complement Gerald Green's 32 and Eric Bledsoe's 30 in the win at Portland. The Thunder, meanwhile, opened a four-game road trip with a 111-107 loss to Houston on Friday and remain entrenched in the No. 2 spot in the West, 3 1/2 games behind conference leader San Antonio and two games up on the third-place Los Angeles Clippers, who host Oklahoma City in the road trip finale Wednesday. Point guard Russell Westbrook took Friday off but is expected to be back in the lineup at Phoenix.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, NBATV, FSN Oklahoma (Oklahoma City), FSN Arizona (Phoenix)
ABOUT THE THUNDER (55-20): Kevin Durant had his usual contribution with 28 points in the loss to Houston, but forward Serge Ibaka stood out. Ibaka registered a loaded stat line of 27 points, nine rebounds, six blocked shots, four assists, two steals and zero turnovers in 36 minutes. The team leader in field goal percentage (53.8) also collected multiple 3-pointers for the first time in over three months.
ABOUT THE SUNS (45-31): Green is not only coming off a solid effort against Portland but will be facing the opponent he torched for a career-high 41 points in a 128-122 win March 6 that snapped Phoenix's 11-game losing streak to the Thunder. The explosive swingman had 25 points in the third quarter alone and tied the franchise record with six 3-pointers in the period, finishing 8-of-13 from beyond the arc. Green also produced 21 points with a 5-for-10 showing from long range in the first meeting between the teams on Nov. 3, a 103-96 Oklahoma City win.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Westbrook erupted for 36 points, nine rebounds and nine assists in the previous encounter.
2. Suns F Channing Frye is 6-for-26 from the floor in his last four games.
3. Thunder C Kendrick Perkins sat Friday due to a groin injury that recently caused him to miss 17 consecutive games.