Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams declared “winning is never boring” following the team’s dominant 138-89 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday at Paycom Center.
The win improved Oklahoma City’s record to 24-1, tying the best 25-game start in NBA history, previously set by the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 28 points, while Chet Holmgren added 24 points and eight rebounds as Oklahoma City secured its 16th consecutive victory.
Williams contributed 15 points, including a three-pointer at the halftime buzzer that extended the Thunder’s lead to 74-48, and praised the team’s ability to maintain focus despite blowouts.
“Not all these games are going to be blowouts and we don’t take them for granted either,” Williams said. “Winning is winning. We’ll take ugly wins. We’ll take pretty wins. It’s basketball and you can’t get tired of winning.”
He reflected on the team’s depth and adaptability: “We’ve had about like 20 games where I wasn’t playing. So that’s a lot of time for guys to get better, be in different roles, and grow as players. Personally, when I come back, it’s kind of like the same thing. Now the load is less and guys can just kind of find their game within that.”
Williams also credited head coach Mark Daigneault’s trust in players: “Some of it’s Mark, trusting guys that go in there and letting them mess up until they figure it out is another one. So, it’s just a lot of things that add up into why we’re able to play different lineups and be confident in those lineups.”
Regarding the ejection of Phoenix’s Grayson Allen after shoving Holmgren, Williams stressed team support over confrontation: “Just make sure I have Chets’s back and then that’s really about it. It’s the NBA. Nobody really fights anyway.”
He also highlighted the energy boost the incident brought: “That like lighted a fire a little bit. It made us start playing how we usually play a little more amped up, kind of like the game just restarted, and I think that bled over into the unit that ended up finishing the game.”
On his recovery from offseason wrist surgery, Williams explained his approach: “I didn’t have my right hand all summer, so it’s just a lot of left-hand workouts and running. I just tried to stay in really good shape… everything else, I just try and get to a point now where I don’t overwork my hand but still get shots and reps up.”
He also addressed personal growth: “Even during that playoff stretch, like I had to go left so much that I got naturally better at it… maybe my passing, but just more like I got to work on it a lot.”
Phoenix, missing Devin Booker for a third consecutive matchup, was led by Dillon Brooks with 16 points on 4-of-16 shooting, marking the fewest points Oklahoma City has allowed this season.
With the win, the Thunder advance to the NBA Cup semifinal on Saturday against the San Antonio Spurs, while Phoenix prepares to face the Golden State Warriors next week.
