The Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Phoenix Suns clash at the Paycom Center is all set for Friday night, ready to take off at 8:00 PM ET. With the Thunder seated in the third position in the West with a 50-22 record, Phoenix is currently ranking seventh with a 43-30 record. However, there is no doubt that both teams have attained two of the best scorers in the league for now, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Kevin Durant.

As both teams prepare for tonight, two key pieces from each team were spotted on the injury list. Dealing with a right ankle sprain, Jusuf Nurkić of the Suns is now listed as “questionable”. On the other hand, Gilgeous-Alexander of the OKC camp is “doubtful”, still struggling with his quad injury. Additionally, Bradley Beal is not listed anywhere on the list for tonight.

Sustaining the matchup against Utah on March 20, the 25-year-old played for three games with the pain, finally resting against the Thunder’s loss. While it was just his second missed game of the season, as for their Western Conference standings, his team does not have anything to worry about immediately.

With the Clippers (4th seed) still five games behind Oklahoma, both teams have 10 games to go. Therefore, resting their superstar should not come with any repercussions. However, the picture is quite different for the Suns, who do not exactly have that luxury.

The Phoenix Suns are at a crucial point for tonight’s game

At present, the Phoenix Suns are well and properly in a cul-de-sac. With Dallas holding sixth place with a 43-29 record, Sacramento is right below the ‘Valley’ with a 42-30 record. Notably, the Kings and Mavericks will also play tonight. See the dilemma? The OKC now has a 28-8 record at home, while the Phoenix team holds a somewhat okay 20-16 record on the road.

With the Suns’ big man averaging 11.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game this season, without him on the floor, Phoenix is 1-4 and averaging 106.2 points per game. While his numbers do not scream ‘amazing,’ his role within the team is great. Right now, the Thunder are the youngest team in the league. And they are fast, outscoring their opponents by 7.2 points per game, while the Suns did so by three points. They are also ranking 10th in the league for average points per game, while Oklahoma has been at third.

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With the Big 4, the Suns are desperate for a win.  While Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is more or less likely to suit up, there is no doubt they will take advantage of it. Who do you think will win tonight? Let us know your picks below!

“Sh*t’s Gotta Change”: Kevin Durant, Jusuf Nurkic, and the Suns Set #1 Priority After Avoidable Loss vs OKC