Jalen Green scored 36 points Friday night and the Phoenix Suns held off the Golden State Warriors to claim the No. 8 seed, setting up a first-round matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder will host the Suns on Sunday at 2:30 PM CT to open the series.
Green delivered his best on a night the Suns needed every bit of it, finishing with six rebounds, four assists, two steals and three blocks while shooting 14-for-20 from the floor and 8-for-14 from beyond the arc in 39 minutes. Phoenix had entered the play-in tournament as the No. 7 seed after losing at home Tuesday to the Portland Trail Blazers, then had to survive a do-or-die game against the No. 10 seed Warriors to keep its season moving.
For Oklahoma City, the wait ended the way it has in each of the past two springs: late. This is the third straight season the Thunder have had to wait until Friday to learn their first-round opponent, and they have swept both of their previous opening-round series, against the New Orleans Pelicans in 2024 and the Memphis Grizzlies in 2025.
That leaves the Thunder trying to extend a pattern that has carried them through the opening round and the Suns trying to turn one fast, physical win into something bigger. Phoenix is in after a narrow escape; Oklahoma City is in after another long delay. The series begins Sunday, and the bracket now has the matchup that Friday night decided.