Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker acknowledged the magnitude of the team’s final NBA Cup group-stage matchup as Phoenix prepares to face the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder on Black Friday. The Suns (12–7, 3–0 Cup play) will travel to Oklahoma City to take on the league-best Thunder (18–1, 3–0) on Friday at 9:30 p.m. ET, with a quarterfinal berth on the line.
Phoenix can clinch the West Group A title with a win. If the Suns lose, they can still advance to the NBA Cup quarterfinals as a wild card by finishing with a higher point differential than the winner of the Memphis Grizzlies-Los Angeles Clippers game.
Booker spoke with azcentral’s Duane Rankin about the challenge Oklahoma City presents and the opportunity ahead.
“It's going to be a great test for us. They have it rolling. They're playing some of the best basketball the NBA has ever seen. I'm excited to matchup against that. Another Cup game. We're looking forward to that. We'll see them Friday.”
Oklahoma City enters the matchup having opened the season with one of the strongest starts in league history. Regular season MVP and Finals MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 32.6 points, 6.6 assists, 4.9 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game while shooting 54.8% from the field and 41.4% from three across 19 games. The Thunder are on a 10-game winning streak and have done so without All-Star Jalen Williams, who has yet to make his season debut due to a lingering wrist injury.
“It's going to be a great test for us. They have it rolling. They're playing some of the best basketball the NBA has ever seen. I'm excited to matchup against that. Another Cup game. We're looking forward to that. We'll see them Friday.” Devin Booker on Suns at defending NBA… pic.twitter.com/2uSMCEOZ7X
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) November 27, 2025
Thunder’s historic start sets stage for Suns’ high-stakes NBA Cup showdown
The Thunder own the NBA’s third-ranked offense at 122.1 points per game and the league’s best defense at 105.6 points allowed. Their +16.5 net differential surpasses last season’s historic +12.9 mark, the highest in NBA history.
Phoenix continues to outperform early expectations following its offseason overhaul, improving to 12–7 after a 112–100 NBA Cup win over the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night. The Suns enter Friday with a +35 point differential in Cup play, trailing only Oklahoma City’s dominant +71 figure in West Group A.
Booker has led the way through the first quarter of the season, averaging 26 points, 6.9 assists and 4.3 rebounds while shooting 45.7% from the field and 32.4% from deep in 19 appearances. His effectiveness has stabilized a roster still adjusting to major personnel and coaching changes.
Friday’s matchup carries both competitive and historical weight, with the Suns attempting to hand the defending champions just their second loss of the season while keeping their NBA Cup hopes alive. A win would secure Phoenix a place in the quarterfinals; a loss would shift the focus to point differential and outpacing the Grizzlies-Clippers winner.
Following Friday’s high-stakes Cup matchup, the Suns return home for a brief stop to host the Denver Nuggets (13–4) on Saturday at 9 p.m. ET. Phoenix will then begin a three-game road trip, starting with the Los Angeles Lakers (13–4) next Monday at 10 p.m. ET on Peacock.
