Shai Gilgeous-Alexander delivered a 25‑point performance as the Oklahoma City Thunder launched their campaign to defend the NBA championship, crushing the Phoenix Suns 119-84 in the opening contest of their first‑round Western Conference series on Sunday. Despite a modest shooting night—converting only five of his 18 attempts from the field—Gilgeous-Alexander was flawless at the free‑throw line, sinking 15 of 17 before bowing out for the fourth quarter. His efficiency from the charity stripe helped offset the low field‑goal percentage and kept the Thunder’s offense humming. Supporting Gilgeous-Alexander, rookie forward Jalen Williams added 22 points, while the highly touted big man Chet Holmgren contributed 16.
The top‑seeded Thunder, playing at home, will look to build on this momentum when they host Game 2 on Wednesday. For Phoenix, veteran guard Devin Booker managed 23 points, and forward Dillon Brooks added 18, though the Suns struggled overall, shooting just 34.9 percent from the field. The game began unfavorably for Oklahoma City, as the Suns jumped to a 5‑0 lead after the Thunder’s slow start following a week off.
The tide turned quickly when Brooks was assessed a flagrant‑one foul for striking Holmgren in the face during the first quarter. The Thunder responded with a 12‑2 run, flipping the score to a 24‑14 advantage. A highlight of the first period came in the final seconds when Oklahoma City’s Jaylin Williams launched a long pass that traveled roughly three‑quarters of the court. Holmgren caught the ball with his back to the basket, took a single dribble to his right, and then spun to release a three‑pointer as the buzzer sounded, extending the lead to 35‑20.
By halftime, the Thunder had stretched the gap to 65‑44. Holmgren had already tallied 16 points, and Gilgeous-Alexander added 15. In the third quarter, Gilgeous-Alexander executed a three‑point play that pushed the lead to 90‑63, and the Thunder entered the fourth quarter with a commanding 97‑66 edge. In other playoff action, Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum posted a stat line of 25 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists in his first postseason appearance since tearing his right Achilles tendon last season.
The Celtics overwhelmed the Philadelphia 76ers 123‑91 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference first round. Celtics teammate Jaylen Brown contributed 26 points, and center Neemias Queta added 13, helping the second‑seeded Boston squad dominate throughout the night. Tatum’s 21 first‑half points came in just his 17th game of the season after undergoing surgery in May to repair his Achilles. Boston never fell behind, at one point building a 35‑point cushion while head coach Joe Mazzulla rotated through 12 players.
The Celtics connected on 16 three‑pointers, showcasing their perimeter firepower. Brown summed up the performance, saying, “That was Celtics basketball.
We’ve been the harder‑playing team all year. That can’t change now that the playoffs have started.” For Philadelphia, guard Tyrese Maxey recorded 21 points and eight assists, but the 76ers were missing star center Joel Embiid, who is still recovering from an appendectomy performed on April 9. The timing of Embiid’s return remains uncertain. Veteran forward Paul George added 17 points, while forward V.J.
Edgecombe contributed 13, but the 76ers shot a dismal 4‑of‑23 from beyond the arc. Maxey faced relentless pressure from the Celtics’ defense, which contested 12 of his 14 attempts in the first half and limited him to just eight of 20 field‑goal attempts overall. Philadelphia’s 64‑46 halftime deficit marked its largest playoff shortfall against Boston since 1982. Turning to the Western Conference, San Antonio Spurs rookie sensation Victor Wembanyama erupted for 35 points in his playoff debut, steering the Spurs to a 111‑98 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers in Game One.
Wembanyama’s 21 points in the first half set an NBA record for the most points scored in the opening half of a playoff debut since the league began detailed play‑by‑play tracking in 1997. His total of 35 points also established a new Spurs franchise benchmark for a playoff debut, eclipsing Tim Duncan’s 32‑point effort in 1998. Spurs guard Stephon Castle and point guard De'Aaron Fox each chipped in 17 points and combined for 15 assists, ensuring the team’s ball movement was fluid and effective. Portland’s standout was Deni Avdija, who posted 30 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, having helped the Blazers secure the No.
7 seed by defeating Phoenix 114‑110 in a play‑in contest. Additionally, rookie Scoot Henderson, the third overall pick in the 2023 draft behind Wembanyama and Charlotte’s Brandon Miller, contributed 18 points. Game Two will be contested on Tuesday night in San Antonio, after which the series shifts to Portland for Games Three and Four. The Frost Bank Center was filled to capacity, with former Spurs legends Tim Duncan and David Robinson seated courtside, underscoring the significance of the franchise’s first postseason appearance since 2019.
The Spurs had endured a six‑season playoff drought that followed a historic run of five NBA championships and 22 consecutive postseason berths. Overall, the opening night of the 2026 NBA playoffs delivered a mix of dominant performances, historic individual achievements, and a glimpse of the storylines that will shape the remainder of the postseason. Fans can continue to follow the action live on Sky Sports, with upcoming matchups including the Toronto Raptors versus the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sky Sports+ beginning at 11 p.m. on Monday evening.