Young Thunder Guard Helps Power OKC to 2-0 Lead Over Suns

The Thunder's sixth man made a much-needed impact in Game 2.

Apr 22, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell (25) drives to the basket past Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks (3) in the second half during game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Oklahoma City now leads 2-0 in the first round, and its sixth man had plenty to do with its Game 2 success.

On Wednesday night, the Thunder remained unbeaten in the postseason with a 120-107 win over the Phoenix Suns in Game 2. With the series now shifting to Phoenix for the next two games, getting a win in this matchup was crucial for the Thunder, and Ajay Mitchell came through for his team when they needed it most.

After Mitchell began the fourth quarter with a couple of scoring possessions to help the Thunder extend their lead to 26, the Suns rallied and got the lead back to as low as 10. With the Thunder looking to put the game away, Mark Daigneault called a timeout with just under four minutes left to get things back on track.

After Oklahoma City had missed some open threes that would’ve helped put the game away on a few possessions leading up to the timeout, Mitchell came through with a massive hit from beyond the corner. Nailing a three from the left corner off a pass from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Mitchell helped the Thunder offense get back on the board as he scored his final points of the night, finishing with 14.

While Mitchell’s hit from deep helped the Thunder close out Game 2, Jalen Williams’ apparent left hamstring injury soured some of the celebration. After Williams left in the third quarter, Mitchell took over as the Thunder’s secondary creator, and while he had some small struggles, he mostly looked more than prepared to take on the challenge.

While there’s still been no official word on the severity of Williams’ injury, Mitchell’s Game 2 helped show just how valuable he can be moving forward. Although he’s an absolute luxury to have as a third or fourth option, he can also hold his own as the Thunder’s No. 2 creator in the playoffs alongside Gilgeous-Alexander.

With Mitchell’s ability to get inside and force defenders to crash and help, he is typically able to get his teammates involved, as evidenced by his five assists on Wednesday night. Mitchell also added five rebounds and two steals in 29 minutes of action, which included over 10 minutes on the floor in the final frame.

As the Thunder navigate the rest of the postseason and any injury trouble that may pop up, Mitchell has already proven to be a reliable option for Daigneault and Oklahoma City.