Ajay Mitchell scores career-high 30 as short-handed Thunder beat Suns 125-114 to stay unbeaten

Ajay Mitchell scored a career-high 30 points and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 26 as the short-handed Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Phoenix Suns 125-114 at the Paycom Center on Monday night (US time; tip-off 12am GMT Tuesday 27 October), according to AP. The Thunder are 4-0 and the Suns 1-2.

AP said the win came a night after Oklahoma City lost starters Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace in Sunday’s 108-101 win over the LA Clippers; both need surgery that could end their seasons. News 9 in Oklahoma City reported that Williams fractured his fibula and dislocated his left ankle and Wallace tore the labrum in his left shoulder. Chet Holmgren sat out on Monday with patellar tendinitis in his right knee, AP said.

Mitchell, starting in Williams’ place, made 10 of 16 shots and 9 of 10 free throws and had five assists in 25 minutes, according to the ESPN box score. He scored 18 points in the first half, AP said.

Score by quarter (ESPN): Suns 27-26-32-29, Thunder 33-34-32-26.

Caruso hurt before half-time

Jared McCain, starting for Wallace, scored 18 points, 10 of them before the break, and made 4 of 7 three-pointers. Isaiah Hartenstein had 15 points and 13 rebounds, and Aday Mara 11 points and 10 rebounds off the bench, according to ESPN.

Alex Caruso scored nine points, all from three-pointers, in nine minutes before he sprained his right ankle late in the second quarter, AP reported. He was helped to the locker room after a collision and did not return; the team called it a right ankle sprain.

Oklahoma City led 67-53 at half-time and went 89-72 ahead on McCain’s three-pointer with three minutes left in the third quarter, AP said. ESPN team statistics show the Thunder led for 98% of the game, by as many as 22, and outscored Phoenix 50-38 in the paint.

“I think we kind of felt like we had to do that for them,” Mitchell said of his injured team-mates, according to News 9. “I know how hard those guys want to be out playing. And so the only thing we could do is just go out there, compete at the highest level and go and get a win for them.”

“Obviously, with those guys out, I knew I probably have to come out and be even more aggressive,” he said. “But I gotta stay myself no matter what, no matter who’s in, who’s out, and figure out a way to help the team win.”

Booker held to three

Jalen Green led Phoenix with 20 points, Dillon Brooks scored 19, making 8 of 12 free throws, and Miles Bridges had 17, according to ESPN. Devin Booker was limited to three points on 1-of-7 shooting, AP said; he had seven assists. Khaman Maluach and Jordan Goodwin scored 12 each. The Suns made 18 of 50 three-point attempts.

The Suns host Denver on Friday and the Thunder play at Dallas on Wednesday (US time), according to AP.

See also: Magic beat Knicks 111-102, plus Sunday’s other NBA results, including Thunder 108 Clippers 101 and Thunder beat Nuggets 96-84.