OKC Thunder Place Ajay Mitchell in Game 3 Starting Lineup vs. Suns

The Oklahoma City Thunder are taking on the Phoenix Suns in Game 3 of their opening round series. The OKC Thunder are hoping to continue their trend. The past two seasons, the Bricktown Ballers have swept their opening round matchup in the 2024 and 2025 playoffs, aiming to make it three straight seasons.

The Thunder hold a commanding 2-0 lead over the Suns as the team heads to Phoenix for their first road game of the 2026 postseason. The Oklahoma City Thunder have gained valuable experience over the years, including last year's title team, as the Bricktown Ballers attempt to go back-to-back as champions for the first time in franchise history and the first time in the 2020s NBA. The last repeat winner was the 2018 Golden State Warriors.

However, before tip-off of Game 3, the Oklahoma City Thunder learned of a rotational shuffle. In the second half of the Thunder's Game 2 win over the Suns, Jalen Williams pulled up lame and suffered a Grade 1 left Hamstring Strain which wil be re-evaluated weekly. This is keeping him out of Saturday's affiar while also learning that Sharpshooter Isaiah Joe would be out for Game 3 due to personal reasons. Pre-game, Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault revealed that Joe is not currently with the team.

The absence of Williams will be felt. Sure, he only logged 33 games for Oklahoma City during the Thunder's 64 win regular season campaign, but the Playoffs are different. This is the first major injury OKC has suffered during a playoff run. This left Daigneault and company in charge of shuffling the team's starting lineup aas a staple first five memeber is in street clothes.

Oklahoma City elected to go with Ajay Mitchell for his scoring punch, capable of somewhat recreating the things the Santa Clara product does so well on that end of the floor. Mitchell can play on the ball; he can be a play finisher away from it next to Gilgeous-Alexander, a table setter for his teammates, and aggressively get into the paint against a short-handed Suns front court.

While Mitchell does not have the size nor scale ability on the defensive end that Williams offers, this is a trade off the Thunder must make to keep their offense a float and leaning on their other talented defenders to do more.

Daigneault had plenty of options at his disposal. Defensive-ace Cason Wallace has served as a swing started for this team throughout an injury riddled campaign, some coaches would opt to take a player not in the rotation such as Aaron Wiggins and insert them in the start of the game to keep everyone elses role in a comfortable place, but the Thunder wisely elect for the second year guard who provides the needed offensive impact.

OKC Thunder vs. Phoenix Suns Starting 5

OKC Thunder Starting Lineup

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, G
Lu Dort, G
Ajay Mitchell, G
Chet Holmgren, F
Isaiah Hartenstein, C

Phoenix Suns Starting Lineup

Devin Booker, G
Jalen Green, G
Collin Gillespie, G
Dillon Brooks, F
Oso Ighodaro, C

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