The Thunder and Phoenix Suns meet Friday in Oklahoma City in the deciding game in West Group A action of the NBA Cup.
“The games mean a little bit more,” Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said. “You can literally earn money by winning these types of games so there’s a little bit of incentive behind it.”
Both teams are 3-0 so far in the group stage.
While the Thunder haven’t officially clinched a spot in the knockout round, they are likely to advance regardless of Friday’s result. Oklahoma City’s plus-71 point differential in NBA Cup play is more than double any other team that could still advance via a wild-card berth.
The Suns’ position is a bit more tenuous, though they’re also in excellent position to advance even with a loss. Phoenix’s plus-35 differential is well ahead of the other potential wild-card teams – the Memphis Grizzlies (plus-9) and Los Angeles Clippers (minus-15).
The Grizzlies and Clippers meet Friday with both teams needing a decisive win to have a chance to unseat the loser of the Thunder-Suns matchup.
Oklahoma City enters Friday’s game on a 10-game winning streak and is the fifth team in NBA history to start a season 18-1 or better. A win would tie the Thunder for the second-best 20-game start in NBA history.
The 2015-16 Golden State Warriors began the season 20-0. The 1969-70 Knicks, 1990-91 Trail Blazers and 1993-94 Rockets each started 19-1.
Gilgeous-Alexander also has a chance to reach a significant individual milestone.
The reigning Most Valuable Player has scored 20 or more points in 91 consecutive games, behind only two such streaks by Wilt Chamberlain. Another 20-point game would tie Chamberlain’s second-longest streak of 92 — 34 behind the record 126 games.
Gilgeous-Alexander scored 40 points in Wednesday’s 113-105 win over Minnesota. It was Oklahoma City’s first game during its winning streak decided by fewer than 13 points.
“We’re a better team having played that game,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said.
After a rocky start, the Suns have gone 11-3 in their last 14 games, including Wednesday’s 112-100 win in Sacramento.
Phoenix has played just two games against the top four teams in the Western Conference, losing to both Denver and Houston.
The Suns are eager to prove themselves against the NBA’s best.
“It’s not going to change our approach,” Suns coach Jordan Ott said. “Every night when you lace them up, you’ve got to play as hard as you possibly can. We have an extremely competitive team that I know will be juiced to get out there on the road and see where we’re at.”
Phoenix has been without Grayson Allen for the last six games with a right quad contusion and Ryan Dunn has missed three straight with a right wrist sprain.
Oklahoma City had Kenrich Williams available for the first time this season in Wednesday’s win.
The game on Friday is the first of four scheduled meetings between the teams this season, though they could face off again as soon as next week’s knockout stage in the NBA Cup.
The Thunder have swept the season series between the teams each of the last two seasons, including winning all three meetings last season.
