The Paycom Center in Oklahoma City was the venue for one of the most closely contested and tactically absorbing NBA Cup group stage encounters of the 2025-26 campaign on the evening of Friday, November 28, 2025, as Phoenix Suns Vs Oklahoma City Thunder timeline concluded with a 123-119 victory for the defending champion Thunder — a result that extended their winning streak to eleven games and confirmed their place in the NBA Cup knockout round.
Tipping off at 9:30pm ET before an attendance of 18,203, the contest was the finest test of the Thunder’s unbeaten run to that point, with the Suns refusing to accept defeat across a furious fourth quarter that saw Phoenix cut the deficit to a single point on multiple occasions before Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s cold-blooded scoring in the final seven minutes ultimately proved decisive.
The Phoenix Suns Vs Oklahoma City Thunder Timeline offered a fiercely competitive first quarter as both sides shared the lead multiple times in an opening period defined by pace, athleticism and the willingness of both rosters to shoot with confidence. The Suns briefly led 21-20 with three minutes remaining in the first quarter — the first time the Thunder had trailed at any point in several weeks — before OKC recovered to tie at 25-25 at the buzzer.
The second quarter saw Gilgeous-Alexander, playing with the assurance of the reigning MVP that he is, begin to take command of the game’s offensive rhythm for the Thunder — while the Suns showed their own capacity to score by briefly taking the lead at 35-33 with 7:45 remaining in the half before OKC responded to assume control.
Chet Holmgren’s activity around the basket and Jalen Williams’ smooth return from wrist surgery, having made 3 of 12 from the field across 29 minutes but contributing eight assists, provided the Thunder with the multi-layered offensive threat that has made them so difficult to prepare for across the season.
The closing stages of the game were spectacular — both teams made 15 three-pointers each across the contest, the vast majority of which arrived in the fourth quarter, creating an environment of extraordinary offensive fireworks as Phoenix mounted a sustained comeback that cut OKC’s lead to one on multiple occasions.
Collin Gillespie, operating brilliantly off the Suns’ bench, contributed 24 points and scored a key three-pointer that pulled Phoenix to 115-114 with time running out. Devin Booker added 21 points and eight rebounds in a performance that underlined why the Suns remained genuinely competitive even against one of the historically best-starting teams in NBA history.
The decisive sequence arrived when Gilgeous-Alexander — who finished with 37 points and eight assists including 15 points in the game’s final seven minutes on 4-of-5 shooting — answered Gillespie’s three with his own to restore a 118-114 lead and effectively end the Suns’ challenge, sealing a victory that also made OKC just the fifth team in NBA history to reach a 19-1 record.
Phoenix Suns Vs Oklahoma City Thunder Timeline — Match Timeline
| Period | Key Moment |
|---|---|
| Q1 — 8:01 | OKC take early lead |
| Q1 — 3:05 | PHX lead 21-20 |
| Q1 — buzzer | Tied 25-25 |
| Q2 — 7:45 | PHX briefly lead 35-33 |
| Q2 | OKC retake control |
| Q3 | OKC build lead |
| Q4 | PHX cut to within 1 multiple times |
| Q4 — final 7 mins | SGA scores 15 points (4-5 FG) |
| Q4 — late | Gillespie 3PT pulls PHX to 115-114 |
| Q4 — clutch | SGA answers with 3PT ? 118-114 |
| Final | OKC 123 — PHX 119 |
Player Stats — November 28, 2025
Oklahoma City Thunder:
| Player | PTS | REB | AST | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | 37 | — | 8 | 15 pts in final 7 mins; 92 straight 20+ |
| Chet Holmgren | 23 | 8 | — | |
| Jalen Williams | 11 | — | 8 | 29 mins; return from wrist surgery |
Phoenix Suns:
| Player | PTS | REB | AST | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Collin Gillespie | 24 | — | — | Key bench scorer |
| Devin Booker | 21 | 8 | — | |
| Dillon Brooks | 19 | — | — |
Team Stats
| Statistic | Phoenix Suns | OKC Thunder |
|---|---|---|
| Final Score | 119 | 123 |
| Three-Pointers Made | 15 | 15 |
| Attendance | 18,203 | |
| Venue | Paycom Center, OKC | |
| Tipoff | 9:30pm ET, Nov 28 2025 |
NBA Standings (at time of game)
| Team | W | L | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| OKC Thunder | 19 | 1 | 5th team ever at 19-1 |
| Phoenix Suns | — | — | NBA Cup qualified |
SGA’s 37-point performance also extended his streak of consecutive games with 20 or more points to 92 — matching Wilt Chamberlain for the second-longest such run in NBA history.