The Oklahoma City Thunder host the Phoenix Suns at the Paycom Center on Sunday afternoon to kick off their Western Conference First Round series. This is a battle of the defending champion Thunder, who finished with the league’s top record, against the Suns, who qualified from the Play-In Tournament to secure the final postseason spot in the West.
Oklahoma City enters the playoffs as the #1 seed (64–18) and the favorites to defend the championship. They are led by MVP frontrunner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who averaged 31.1 points per game this season. The Thunder finished with the NBA’s top-ranked defense and third-ranked offense. Their roster includes Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, and defensive specialist Luguentz Dort. OKC aims to use its home-court advantage to overwhelm Phoenix early.
The Suns arrive as the #8 seed (45–37) after a statement 111–96 victory over the Golden State Warriors in the Play-In finale. Following a season of transition under head coach Jordan Ott, Phoenix has found its footing with All-Star Devin Booker and Jalen Green leading the charge. Dillon Brooks’ postseason experience makes them a far more dangerous opponent than their seed suggests.
Suns vs. Thunder: Live Streaming And Game Info
- Date: Sunday, April 19, 2026
- Time: 3:30 PM ET (12:30 PM PT / MST)
- Venue: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
- TV Broadcast (National): ABC
- TV Broadcast (Local): FanDuel Sports Network Oklahoma (OKC), Arizona’s Family Sports (PHX)
- Live Streaming: NBA League Pass, Fubo (Free Trial available)
Where to watch Suns vs. Thunder For Free?
Fans can watch Suns vs. Thunder on NBA League Pass, Amazon Prime (an Amazon Prime 30-day free trial), or catch it for free here.
Where To Watch Suns vs. Thunder Across The Globe?
United States
- Date/Time: April 19, 2026, 3:30 PM ET
- Channel: ABC, NBA League Pass
Canada
- Date/Time: April 19, 2026, 3:30 PM ET
- Channel: TSN, Sportsnet, NBA League Pass
United Kingdom
- Date/Time: April 19, 2026, 8:30 PM BST
- Channel: TNT Sports, NBA League Pass
Australia
- Date/Time: April 20, 2026, 5:30 AM AEST
- Channel: ESPN, NBA League Pass
Germany
- Date/Time: April 19, 2026, 9:30 PM CEST
- Channel: DAZN, NBA League Pass
France
- Date/Time: April 19, 2026, 9:30 PM CEST
- Channel: beIN Sports, NBA League Pass
Spain
- Date/Time: April 19, 2026, 9:30 PM CEST
- Channel: Movistar+, NBA League Pass
Italy
- Date/Time: April 19, 2026, 9:30 PM CEST
- Channel: Sky Italia, NBA League Pass
India
- Date/Time: April 20, 2026, 1:00 AM IST
- Channel: Amazon Prime Video, NBA League Pass
Brazil
- Date/Time: April 19, 2026, 4:30 PM BRT
- Channel: ESPN, Prime Video, NBA League Pass
Mexico
- Date/Time: April 19, 2026, 1:30 PM CST
- Channel: ESPN, Star+, NBA League Pass
Japan
- Date/Time: April 20, 2026, 4:30 AM JST
- Channel: Rakuten TV, NBA League Pass
Philippines
- Date/Time: April 20, 2026, 3:30 AM PHT
- Channel: TV5, NBA TV Philippines, NBA League Pass
Singapore
- Date/Time: April 20, 2026, 3:30 AM SGT
- Channel: StarHub, Singtel, NBA League Pass
Projected Starting Lineups
Phoenix Suns
- PG: Devin Booker
- SG: Jalen Green
- SF: Dillon Brooks
- PF: Royce O’Neale
- C: Oso Ighodaro
Oklahoma City Thunder
- PG: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
- SG: Cason Wallace
- SF: Luguentz Dort
- PF: Jalen Williams
- C: Chet Holmgren
Injury Report
Phoenix Suns
- Grayson Allen (SG): QUESTIONABLE (Left hamstring injury)
- Mark Williams (C): QUESTIONABLE (Left foot soreness)
- Dillon Brooks (SF): AVAILABLE (Cleared after hand injury recovery)
- Jalen Green (SG): AVAILABLE (No injury designation)
Oklahoma City Thunder
- Thomas Sorber (C): OUT FOR SEASON (Knee surgery recovery)
- Branden Carlson (C): OUT (Lower back strain)
- Isaiah Hartenstein (C): AVAILABLE (Cleared after calf management)
Thunder vs. Suns Head to Head
The Oklahoma City Thunder won the 2025–26 regular-season series 3–2. While the Thunder secured three dominant victories earlier in the season, the Suns won the regular-season finale 135–103 on April 12, though OKC rested its primary starters in that game. Historically, the Suns lead the all-time regular-season matchup 138–126 and all-time playoff series 13-12. This is their first postseason meeting since 1997 (when the Thunder were the Seattle SuperSonics).
Prediction For Thunder vs. Suns
The Thunder are currently the most efficient team in the league. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a massive challenge for even a defender as physical as Dillon Brooks, and Chet Holmgren’s verticality should tackle Phoenix’s interior scoring. Expect the Suns to keep it competitive for three quarters, but for the Thunder’s depth and home-court energy to secure a comfortable Game 1 victory.
Score Prediction: Thunder 118 – Suns 104
