A collective gasp could be heard from the Paycom Center crowd.
It couldn't believe its eyes, as OKC's inbound pass was deflected in the closing seconds of an NBA Cup group play game against Phoenix on Friday. And fans watched a scramble for the ball ensue.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBut it ended up in the hands of Alex Caruso, who quickly dished it to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, avoiding disaster.
Gilgeous-Alexander then got fouled and sank two free throws with 4.7 seconds remaining, sealing OKC's 123-119 home win and booking its ticket to the NBA Cup's eight-team tournament.
Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 37 points and eight assists. The game also marked the season debut of Jalen Williams, who finished with 11 points and eight assists.
OKC will host an undetermined opponent in the quarterfinals, which be held on Dec. 9-10. The semifinals and championship game will be played in Las Vegas on Dec. 13 and 16, respectively.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementHere are three takeaways from the win:
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Lu Dort is thorn in Devin Booker's side
Devin Booker has spent his entire 11-year NBA career in Phoenix. But he has never met a tougher thorn than Lu Dort, who even puts the cacti of the Sonoran Desert to shame.
Booker did all he could to detach Dort from his side on the Suns' first possession of the night. He even sprinted to the wing of the 3-point line, where Mark Williams was meant to hand the ball off while simultaneously setting a screen.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBut Dort remained stuck, and he ripped the ball away from both Williams and Booker before the handoff could be completed. He then launched a one-man fastbreak, moved Booker out of the way with a shoulder bump and finished a layup.
Dort never stopped pestering Booker, who had to earn his 21 points. He shot 5 for 13 from the field and 2 for 7 from deep in 39 minutes.
Dort has faced Booker 12 times since he joined OKC as a rookie in 2019, not including Friday's game. He has held the four-time All-Star to 4-for-27 shooting from the field (14.8%) and 4-for-19 from deep (21.1%) in 40 minutes and 51 seconds when guarding him.
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Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jalen Williams (8) dribbles beside Phoenix Suns forward Nigel Hayes-Davis (21) during an NBA Cup basketball game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Phoenix Suns at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Friday, Nov. 28, 2025.Jalen Williams embraced a playmaking role amid shooting struggles
All eyes were on Williams during Friday's game, and yet his were far from fixated.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThey wandered throughout the night, scanning the floor for the open man. And after driving into the lane midway through the second quarter, Williams spotted one.
It was Chet Holmgren, who Williams kicked it out to on the perimeter without hesitation. He then watched as Holmgren elevated and knocked down the triple.
Williams' shot showed signs of rust, which was to be expected after missing OKC's first 19 outings. He went 3 for 12 from the field (1 for 1 from deep).
But Williams' mind was as sharp as ever. He embraced a playmaking role by racking up eight assists in 29 minutes of action.
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OKC caught fire from deep
Jordan Goodwin made sure everyone saw his celebration.
The Suns guard turned both hands into finger guns and fired them repeatedly after sinking a corner 3-pointer by OKC's bench. He had every reason to be fired up, considering that trimmed the Thunder's lead to just three points with 5:02 remaining.
But Cason Wallace answered back on the other end by burying a 3-pointer of his own, and his celebration was far more subtle. He simply holstered his right hand into his hip, as Phoenix burned a timeout.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementOKC looked like the more composed team from behind the arc all night. It shot 15 for 32 (47%), while Phoenix only shot 15 for 44 (34%).
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Tip-ins
Gilgeous-Alexander has scored at least 20 points in 92 consecutive regular-season games, which is now tied for the second-longest streak in NBA history. He's tied with Wilt Chamberlain, who also holds the longest streak (126 games).
Ajay Mitchell exited the game in the first quarter with a left knee contusion and did not return. He finished with one assist in five minutes off the bench.
Aaron Wiggins missed his 11th straight game due to a left adductor strain. OKC also continued to be without Thomas Sorber and Nikola Topić.
Justin Martinez covers the Thunder and NBA for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Justin? He can be reached at [email protected] or on X/Twitter at @Justintohoops. Sign up for the Thunder Sports Minute newsletter to access more NBA coverage. Support Justin's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
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Thunder at Trail Blazers
TIPOFF: 5 p.m. Sunday at Moda Center in Portland, Oregon (FanDuel Sports Network)
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Thunder survives Suns in Jalen Williams' return to advance in NBA Cup
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