The Phoenix Suns face the Oklahoma City Thunder in a key NBA Cup group stage game on November 28, 2025. Both teams enter with 3-0 records, and the winner will claim West Group A. Even a loss may not eliminate the Suns from advancing.
The Phoenix Suns (12-7 overall) travel to face the Oklahoma City Thunder (18-1) in the NBA Cup group stage on November 28, 2025. Phoenix secured a 3-0 record with a plus-35 point differential following a 112-100 win over the Sacramento Kings. The Thunder match that mark but hold a plus-71 differential.
This matchup will decide the West Group A winner due to the head-to-head tiebreaker. Suns guard Devin Booker highlighted the challenge ahead, saying, “(The matchup against the Thunder) is going to be a great test for us. They have it rolling. They're playing some of the best basketball the NBA has ever seen. I'm excited to match up against that. Another (NBA) Cup game. We're looking forward to that. We'll see them Friday.”
Phoenix enters as 14.5-point underdogs. Regardless of the outcome, the Suns have a strong chance to reach the quarterfinals. Eight teams advance overall: six group winners and two wild cards, one per conference.
In West Group A, the Denver Nuggets and San Antonio Spurs both sit at 2-1 and play each other that night, leaving only the group winner with a 3-1 record. For West Group B, the Los Angeles Lakers (3-0, plus-36 differential) have clinched a spot after beating the Memphis Grizzlies (2-1, plus-9) and Los Angeles Clippers (2-1, minus-15). The Grizzlies and Clippers meet tonight, potentially tying the Suns-Thunder loser for the wild-card spot at 3-1.
A Suns loss would require the Grizzlies or Clippers to exceed Phoenix's plus-35 differential for elimination, which seems unlikely given the 26-point gap over Memphis. The Thunder average a plus-16.5 margin this season. Phoenix misses Jalen Green (hamstring), Grayson Allen (quad), and Ryan Dunn (wrist), while Oklahoma City welcomes back Jalen Williams after offseason wrist surgery.
The Suns have gone 9-2 in their last 11 games, making this their biggest test yet.