Thunder beat Suns 125-114 to improve to 4-0

The Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Phoenix Suns 125-114 on Monday night to improve to 4-0, with Ajay Mitchell scoring a career-high 30 points as the team played without two injured starters. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 26 points, while Jared McCain scored 18 and Isaiah Hartenstein had 15 points and 13 rebounds. Oklahoma City led 67-53 at halftime and extended its advantage to 89-72 late in the third quarter on a McCain 3-pointer. The Thunder held on after Phoenix made a late effort to close the gap. Mitchell started in place of Jalen Williams and scored 18 points in the first half. McCain filled in for Cason Wallace, adding 10 before the break. The Thunder’s win came a day after Williams and Wallace were injured in Oklahoma City’s 108-101 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers. Both players will require surgery, according to reports, and are expected to miss an extended period. A season-ending absence was described as possible, but their recovery timelines have not been confirmed. Chet Holmgren also missed Monday’s game; one report said he was sidelined with patellar tendinitis in his right knee. Oklahoma City reserve guard Alex Caruso left late in the second quarter with a...