NBA postseason guide: Thunder become first team into Round 2 after sweeping Suns

Oklahoma City is the first team into the second round of the 2026 NBA playoffs after completing a four-game sweep of Phoenix.

The Thunder beat the Suns 131-122 in Game 4 on April 27 in Phoenix, finishing the series 4-0 and advancing to the Western Conference semifinals for the third straight year. NBA.com confirmed the result, and AP-reported coverage said Oklahoma City became the first team to reach Round 2.

The sweep updates the postseason picture and sharpens the bracket context for the rest of the league. According to AP-reported coverage, Oklahoma City’s next opponent will be either the Lakers or Rockets, with Los Angeles leading that series 3-1 at the time of publication.

The Thunder’s advance is notable not just for the sweep itself, but for the consistency behind it: this is their third consecutive first-round sweep. It also gives the Western Conference its first completed matchup heading into the semifinal round.

For the league’s remaining first-round series, the Thunder’s result is now the benchmark. Their path to Round 2 is set, while the rest of the bracket continues to play out.

This postseason guide will continue to update as the bracket fills in, but the key change for now is simple: Oklahoma City is through, and everyone else is still chasing.