How Suns’ Jordan Goodwin Stood Out In Upset Win Over Thunder
Phoenix Suns (21-14) guard Jordan Goodwin became the team’s unsung hero in one of their best wins of the season at home over the defending NBA champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder (30-6), on Sunday.
How Suns’ Jordan Goodwin Stood Out In Upset Win Over Thunder
Goodwin had a career night for the Suns, scoring 26 points and banking eight three-pointers. Both numbers were career-highs and he posted a plus-nine efficiency rating against the Thunder. Remarkably, he achieved this performance while wearing a mask due to a jaw sprain.
Coming off the bench and playing nearly 31 minutes, Goodwin was also instrumental on both ends of the court in Phoenix’s thunderous comeback after trailing Oklahoma City by 18 points in the first half.
He was tasked of defending one of the best players in the league, Thunder guard and NBA’s reigning MVP Shai Gligeous-Alexander, in which he was limited to 25 points and shot 8-for-22 from the field.
“That’s our culture,” Goodwin said on Phoenix’s resilience Sunday. “That’s the minimal. We’re going to go in and play hard every single day.”
In the first quarter, Goodwin drilled back-to-back three-pointers to give the Suns some momentum against the Thunder. He stated in the postgame that he was getting into a rhythm after making his second of eight three-pointers.
“After the second (3-pointer), I felt pretty good,” Goodwin said, via Hayden Cilley of Clutch Points. “I felt like my first should’ve gone in, but it went in and out. Just how they were guarding Book. I knew I was going to get a couple more, so I just stayed confident with it.”
Phoenix Gets Revenge Win Over Oklahoma City, Thanks To Goodwin’s Contributions
On December 10, the Thunder blew out the Suns in the NBA Cup quarterfinals. They handed Phoenix its worst loss in franchise history with a score of 138-89.
Less than a month later, thanks to Goodwin’s contributions and clutch plays from Dillon Brooks and Devin Booker, the Suns earned a revenge win over Oklahoma City on their home court.
“I’m not sure we went out without Jordan (Goodwin),” First-year head coach Jordan Ott said. “The ball just found him. Book ends with nine assists, but a lot of the corner threes that Goody got were because our superstar passes the basketball.
“So just the unselfishness of the group starts with your best player. He had nine assists, but I’m sure he got the hockey assists; he probably had 15. But Goody [Goodwin] got to the spots and works incredibly hard. It’s good to see him have a night like that.”
While Phoenix dealt with the absences of Grayson Allen and Jalen Green due to injuries, Goodwin became the next man up and provided a boost for the team.
How The Fourth Quarter Between Thunder And Suns Was A Thriller
Jan 4, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks (3) celebrates with teammates Devin Booker (1) and Jordan Goodwin (23) against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second half at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Throughout the game, there were nine lead changes between the Suns and Thunder, and the game was tied seven times.
In the fourth quarter, the game was back-and-forth between Oklahoma City and Phoenix. Both teams exchanged responses after every big bucket.
While Goodwin delivered at a crucial time for the Suns, Brooks drilled a three-pointer to extend their lead to four with less than 90 seconds remaining in the game before the Thunder went on a 4-0 run to tie the game with 8.2 seconds remaining.
Booker nailed the game-winning three-pointer with just 0.7 seconds left, sealing a dramatic victory for Phoenix and making the night even more memorable for Goodwin and the team. Brooks and Booker’s heroics were important to the win. Nevertheless, Goodwin’s two-way impact allowed Phoenix to stick close with the Thunder. Unquestionably, he was one of the most important Suns that night.
The Suns will travel to Houston to face Kevin Durant and the Rockets on Monday night.
Aya Abdeen joined Last Word on Sports in January 2026 as a writer covering the Phoenix Suns and the WNBA. She also writes the WNBA and NCAA Women's Basketball for The IX Basketball and Ballislife, and covers Arizona State athletics for Devils in Detail.
Her work is also featured on Arizona PBS/Cronkite News, The State Press, and AZPreps365. Abdeen graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor's degree in Sports Journalism in Spring 2025.
