Phoenix Suns guard Grayson Allen did not reach the end of their NBA Cup quarterfinal game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night.
Allen was ejected after pushing Thunder star Chet Holmgren as he tried to get around a screen in the third quarter of their game. 138-89 blowout loss to Oklahoma City at the Paycom Center. Allen reached hard with both arms and sent Holmgren flying to the ground, which started a small altercation on the floor.
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Allen walked away as players from both teams briefly crowded around. Eventually, they were all separated by officials and aides without much trouble.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s reaction behind the piece, which the Amazon Prime Video the cameras provided in slow motion, may be the best part.
Allen was given a flagrant foul 2 for his actions and was immediately ejected. He finished the night with 10 points and four assists while shooting 3 of 9 from the field. Allen, who gained a reputation for stumbling after several incidents at Duke University, has been relatively quiet on that front after several similar serious fouls and a suspension early in his NBA career. The 30-year-old, now in his third season with the Suns, is averaging a career-high 16.9 points and 3.9 assists per game this year.
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While that’s not an excuse, it’s easy to understand why Allen might have been frustrated before he was ejected. The Thunder led by more than 30 points and appeared well on their way to another resounding victory – which secured them a spot in the NBA Cup semifinals in Las Vegas later this week. They took a 26-point lead into the locker room at halftime, then pushed it to 38 points late in the third quarter.
The Thunder ultimately pulled out a 49-point victory, which was their biggest victory of the season. They have now won five 30-point wins this season, just three shy of matching their total from last season.
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Dillon Brooks led the Suns with 16 points and was the only other Phoenix starter to reach double figures. Devin Booker was ruled out early with a groin injury. The Suns are now 14-11.
Gilgeous-Alexander had 28 points and eight assists to lead the Thunder. Holmgren finished with 24 points and eight rebounds. They shot 59% from the field as a group and 22 of 40 from behind the arc.
The Thunder have now won 16 straight games and have won 24 of their first 25 games of the season. Although it’s still early, the Thunder are on pace to break the NBA’s single-season wins record. They advanced to face either the Los Angeles Lakers or the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Cup semifinals in Las Vegas.
