OKLAHOMA CITY (Interstat) — The Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Phoenix Suns 125-114 on Monday at Paycom Center, improving to 4-0 while Phoenix fell to 1-2. Oklahoma City was short-handed after losing starters Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace to serious injuries in the previous night’s 108-101 win over the Los Angeles Clippers. Both players will require surgery that could be season-ending. Ajay Mitchell scored a career-high 30 points to lead the Thunder, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 26. The announced attendance was 18,203.

Oklahoma City led 34-26 after the first quarter. Mitchell set the early tone with a 16-foot pullup, a driving layup, two free throws and a 9-foot driving floater. Isaiah Hartenstein added a layup off a Gilgeous-Alexander assist, and Jared McCain made a short two-point shot. Phoenix stayed within reach behind Jalen Green, who made a dunk, a 14-foot fadeaway and a 16-foot step-back jumper. Miles Bridges made a running dunk, and Dillon Brooks made a 23-foot 3-pointer. Oklahoma City closed the quarter with Mitchell free throws, while Jordan Goodwin made a 26-foot 3-pointer for Phoenix.

The teams each scored 32 points in the second quarter. McCain made a 26-foot 3-pointer and a layup, and Mitchell added a driving layup and a free throw. Gilgeous-Alexander made a 21-foot pullup, a 14-foot pullup with a free throw, a 15-foot turnaround and a 25-foot 3-pointer in the final seconds. Phoenix answered with 3-pointers from Ryan Dunn, Luke Kennard, Brooks and Goodwin. Brooks made a 24-foot 3-pointer just before halftime. Oklahoma City led 66-58 at the break.

Phoenix scored 29 points in the third quarter, while Oklahoma City scored 26. Khaman Maluach made two dunks and a layup, Green made two free throws and a driving layup, and Bridges made a 23-foot 3-pointer and a 27-foot 3-pointer. Brooks added free throws. Oklahoma City responded with Hartenstein layups and dunks, Gilgeous-Alexander pullup jumpers, McCain 3-pointers, a Mitchell 3-pointer and layup, and Bennett Stirtz free throws. Oklahoma City carried a 92-87 lead into the fourth quarter.

In the fourth, Mitchell made a driving layup and two free throws, and Jaylin Williams made a 24-foot 3-pointer to help Oklahoma City extend its lead. Gilgeous-Alexander made a 10-foot fadeaway and a free throw. Kenrich Williams made an alley-oop dunk and a free throw. Phoenix tried to rally behind Green’s 24-foot 3-pointer and running dunk, Brooks’ two-point shot and free throws, Kennard’s 25-foot 3-pointer, Jamaree Bouyea’s floating jump shot, Duop Reath’s 25-foot 3-pointer and Ryan Dunn’s running layup. Oklahoma City held on for the 125-114 win.

Oklahoma City shot 44 of 86 from the floor, including 12 of 32 from 3-point range, and made 25 of 29 free throws. Phoenix shot 39 of 92, including 18 of 50 from beyond the arc, and made 18 of 25 free throws. Oklahoma City had 12 offensive rebounds to Phoenix’s 14, 3 assists to Phoenix’s 7, 7 blocks to Phoenix’s 5, 16 turnovers to Phoenix’s 12 and 20 fouls to Phoenix’s 24. Oklahoma City scored 125 points from 104 possessions, an offensive rating of 120.5. Phoenix scored 114 points from 102 possessions, an offensive rating of 111.9.

The key performers for Oklahoma City were led by Mitchell, who had 30 points, two rebounds, five assists and one block in 25 minutes. Hartenstein had 15 points, 13 rebounds and three assists in 26 minutes. Gilgeous-Alexander had 26 points, three rebounds, three assists and two blocks in 30 minutes. Aday Mara had 11 points, 11 rebounds, two assists and two blocks in 20 minutes. McCain had 18 points, three rebounds, four assists and one block in 30 minutes. Jaylin Williams had six points, six rebounds and three assists in 26 minutes.

For Phoenix, Green had 20 points, four rebounds, four assists and one block in 31 minutes. Bridges had 17 points, eight rebounds and four assists in 32 minutes. Brooks had 19 points, five rebounds, five assists and one block in 33 minutes. Maluach had 12 points, seven rebounds, one assist and one block in 26 minutes. Devin Booker facilitated Phoenix’s offense with assists on several baskets and made a free throw. Collin Gillespie and Goodwin each made multiple 3-pointers for the Suns.

The most important part of the game came in the first and third quarters when Mitchell repeatedly answered Phoenix runs. In the first, Mitchell made two free throws, a 9-foot driving floater, a 15-foot pullup and a 12-foot pullup with a free throw. In the third, Mitchell made a 27-foot 3-pointer and a driving layup, and Stirtz made two free throws to close the quarter. In the fourth, Mitchell made a driving layup and two free throws, and Jaylin Williams made a 24-foot 3-pointer to push the lead to double digits. Oklahoma City led for most of the game and never let Phoenix complete a comeback.

Interstat’s game simulator projected a final score of Oklahoma City 112, Phoenix 108. Interstat’s ELO system gave Oklahoma City a 94.8 percent probability to win. Oklahoma City entered as a 9.5-point favorite. The total score of 239 went under the over/under line of 220.5.