Suns Stun Thunder By Coming Away With Incredible 108-105 Victory: Immediate Reaction

The Phoenix Suns took the underdog role and ran with it to shock the Oklahoma City Thunder and come away with a huge 108-105 victory on Sunday night.

4 Min Read
Jan 4, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) reacts against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first half at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

For nearly three quarters, it looked like Oklahoma City had Phoenix right where it wanted them. The Thunder controlled tempo, built an 18-point lead, and forced the Suns to work hard for everything. Then the game flipped on its head, before Devin Booker delivered the final blow with a cold-blooded three-pointer that silenced the building and lifted Phoenix to a 108-105 stunner.

The victory capped another resilient night for a Suns team quietly catching fire. Phoenix erased that massive deficit, outscored Oklahoma City late, and leaned on timely shot-making to secure its sixth win in seven games. Booker didn’t dominate wire to wire, but when the game narrowed to one possession, the ball found him, and the result felt inevitable.

 

Devin Booker Made Sure He Closed

Booker’s box score won’t scream takeover, but the context matters. He finished with 24 points, nine assists, and six rebounds in 38 minutes, shooting just 5-of-11 from the floor. Instead of chasing shots, he let the game come to him, repeatedly probing Oklahoma City’s defense and drawing fouls when space disappeared.

The free-throw line became his lifeline. Booker went 13-for-15 at the stripe, punishing defenders who tried to crowd him late. And when the Thunder finally shaded help away to protect the paint, Booker calmly rose for the decisive three, his lone make from deep, delivering the defining moment of the night with Phoenix clinging to life.

 

Phoenix’s Size and Hustle Changed The Game

The most glaring stat from the night didn’t come from the perimeter. It came on the glass. Phoenix dominated the rebounding battle 49-29, including a massive 12 offensive rebounds that repeatedly extended possessions and wore Oklahoma City down.

Oso Ighodaro and Ryan Dunn were especially impactful off the bench. Ighodaro grabbed eight rebounds in 24 minutes and posted a team-best +14, while Dunn chipped in eight boards of his own and knocked down three triples. Those extra chances helped Phoenix overcome a 44.3% shooting night and keep pressure on a Thunder team that simply couldn’t finish defensive possessions.

 

Oklahoma City’s Stars Delivered With No Help

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams did their jobs. Shai scored 25 points with six assists, while Williams was ruthlessly efficient, pouring in 23 points on 9-of-13 shooting and adding seven assists. Chet Holmgren continued his steady ascent, finishing with 18 points, nine rebounds, and three blocks while barely missing a shot.

What Oklahoma City didn’t get was support elsewhere. The Thunder bench combined for just 23 points, and the team shot only 31.3% from three-point range. As Phoenix crept closer, missed perimeter looks and stalled possessions allowed the Suns to stay within striking distance, and eventually steal the game.

 

Phoenix’s Bench Shooting Was Critical

While Oklahoma City struggled from outside, Phoenix leaned into the variance, and won. The Suns knocked down 17 three-pointers on 43 attempts, a volume edge that ultimately swung the scoreboard. Jordan Goodwin was the spark, erupting for 26 points on an absurd 8-of-13 shooting from deep in just 31 minutes.

That spacing opened lanes for everyone else. Even with Dillon Brooks battling inefficiency and Royce O’Neale going just 1-of-8, the Suns’ willingness to keep firing stretched Oklahoma City’s defense thin. Add in 15 fast-break points and consistent second-chance opportunities, and Phoenix found just enough offense to survive the final push.

Newsletter

Stay up to date with our newsletter on the latest news, trends, ranking lists, and evergreen articles

Follow on Google News

Thank you for being a valued reader of Fadeaway World. If you liked this article, please consider following us on Google News. We appreciate your support.

Share This Article
Eddie Bitar is a senior staff writer for Fadeaway World from Denver, Colorado. Since joining the team in 2017, Eddie has applied his academic background in economics and finance to enhance his sports journalism. Graduating with a Bachelor's degree from and later a Master's degree in Finance, he integrates statistical analysis into his articles. This unique approach provides readers with a deeper understanding of basketball through the lens of financial and economic concepts. Eddie's work has not only been a staple at Fadeaway World but has also been featured in prominent publications such as Sports Illustrated. His ability to break down complex data and present it in an accessible way creates an engaging and informative way to visualize both individual and team statistics. From finding the top 3 point shooters of every NBA franchise to ranking players by cost per point, Eddie is constantly finding new angles to use historical data that other NBA analysts may be overlooking.
Leave a Comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *