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Phoenix Suns guard Jalen Green addressed a heavy 119-84 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 of their Western Conference first-round series on Sunday, pointing repeatedly to possession control and rebounding as decisive factors in the defeat.
“it plays a big role. I mean they’re a team just like us that feeds off turnovers and you know getting in transition and running. So obviously we got to take care of the ball a lot better. and you know value our possessions and our shots. but yeah, the turnovers killed us and obviously the rebounding too.”
Green finished with 17 points in Phoenix’s 35.3% shooting night, while Oklahoma City controlled pace and physicality across all four quarters at Paycom Center.
When asked about Oklahoma City’s pressure and ability to speed up opponents, Green acknowledged it was a factor but not the only one shaping the Suns’ mistakes.
“A little bit. Not too much. Obviously they, you know, they they’re pressuring up at half court with the guards, me, Book, DB, Collin. But yeah, I think we just need to obviously get our stops and play a little bit faster than, you know, being set in the half court to where, you know, they’re able to load up and pressure up like that.”
The Thunder, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 25 points and Jalen Williams’ 22, forced Phoenix into 17 turnovers while also dominating the glass with 54 rebounds to Phoenix’s 45.
Green also pointed to half-court defense and officiating consistency, stressing the importance of physical balance in a playoff environment.
“Yeah, I think so. Feel like there’s a couple bad calls for, you know, how we’re going to be playing in the playoffs and how, you know, the rest allowed them to play. Then got to be both ways or just call both the same foul both ways. One or the other. It’s the playoffs, too, at the same time. So, you want to be aggressive at the end of the day, so yeah, we just got to figure that out.”
Oklahoma City’s physical identity and defensive rotations limited Phoenix’s ability to generate consistent rhythm in the half court, something Green said directly affected their offensive structure.
“They’re a physical team. They’ve been physical. I got to play them last year and they were same physicality. You know, we got to be able to take that pressure and you know, create off something like that. play a little bit faster, play a lot of good game. Hit the open shots, shoot the open shots.”
Green also emphasized that Phoenix’s offensive execution must improve through quicker decisions rather than isolation-heavy possessions against a set defense.
“I mean it’s going to come down to the rebounding. Once we get our stops in, we got to turn those stops and rebounding into transition points and I think we’ll be all right. Yeah.”
The Suns will regroup quickly with Game 2 scheduled for Wednesday, where adjustment and pace control will be central themes after Oklahoma City’s dominant series opener.
“We got a couple days in between. that’s a good thing about the playoffs. Watch the film tomorrow, go over with the team and see how we could be better and then flush it after that.”
