The OKC Thunder Are Looking For Yet Another First-Round Sweep

Oklahoma City has managed to bring out the brooms the past two years and is looking to do the same this year.

April 7, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Kenrich Williams (34) dunks for the basket against the Los Angeles Lakers during the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Oklahoma City is looking to have a quick first round for the third year in a row. 

The Thunder are set to take on the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the playoffs, after the Suns beat the Warriors on Friday night to take the eight seed. OKC is looking to start its path to a second title in a row strong, and honestly, is hoping to make quick work of the Suns. 

The Thunder beat the Suns in the season series 3-2, but with all of their attention on Phoenix, Oklahoma City is hoping to sweep its first-round opponent for the third straight year. 

This successful trend started two years ago when OKC claimed the one seed and faced off against the New Orleans Pelicans. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder in scoring every game on their way to beating the Pelicans four times in a row. It was a successful opening series, but Oklahoma City would fall in the second round to the Dallas Mavericks and end the postseason empty-handed. 

The situation appeared to be the same at the start of last season’s playoffs as well. Oklahoma City would end the year as the one seed in the West, and this time would face off against the Memphis Grizzlies. The Thunder would pull off another sweep in the first round, which included a 29-point comeback win in game three, to send them to the second round. 

This, of course, was the year that OKC would go all the way and win its first-ever NBA Championship, and now, the Thunder are trying to do it again. 

Now you just have to win four out of seven games, but winning the first four games of the series has its perks. In the second round, OKC would face the winner of the Los Angeles Lakers and the Houston Rockets, both good teams that the Thunder would love to have an upper hand on. 

It’s very unlikely the four and five-seed matchup will only end in four games, meaning if the
Thunder could pull off a sweep of their own; they would earn some well-deserved rest before having to play a better opponent. In games where the Thunder’s star players need to play, these resting opportunities could be crucial down the stretch. 

Oklahoma City definitely has the capability to pull off its third sweep of the first round in a row, and if it did, it could set up the rest of the Thunder’s playoff run for success.