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What We Learned From #SunsVsThunder

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The Suns needed a win. More importantly, they needed to gain ground on surging Oklahoma City in the standings.

Two birds, one stone, and a giant weight off the Suns' back all in one night.

Phoenix won the game that has slipped through their fingers all too frequently: a down-to-the-wire thriller they controlled but couldn't seal. Except this time, they did, taking a 117-113 overtime victory over the Thunder. The team could be seen and heard in the arena tunnels afterward, celebrating the hard-fought victory that eluded them so many times before.

"If you've been around our team all year, we've taken so many losses," said Suns forward P.J. Tucker. "We've probably got the most game-winners on us this year, losing by one, two or three points all year. To grab one of those games that was really close, to actually finish and win it and it be such a big game, that was huge for us.

The outcome was a result of almost too many big-game efforts to mention.

But we'll try.

5. Suns started on the right foot

#SunsVsThunder Highlights

First quarters had been an issue for Phoenix all season long, but particularly in their recent five-game slide. The Suns would dig themselves into a hole early, scramble to catch up, then fall short.

They flipped that script for a refreshing revision by jumping out to a 12-2 lead, a margin they maintained for most of regulation. Yes, the Thunder eventually caught up and made it a nail-biter, but that's better than the loss it would have been without Phoenix's game-opening energy.

4. Defense stepped up

Bledsoe From Behind

Even removing Russell Westbrook's 12-for-38 outing from the equation, the Thunder still would have shot just 42.9 percent from the field. That's how aggressive Phoenix was defensively, especially in the early stages.

Communication, a hot topic within the team in recent days, was key. Switches and stays were executed on a mostly consistent basis. Rotations were quick to the mark. And it didn't hurt that Phoenix had a healthy dose of shot-blocking (nine total) from four different players.

3. Len was big...and smart

Alex Len's sizable stats are losing novelty and gaining in consistency. Thursday marked his fifth consecutive game of double digit rebounds, as the Ukrainian big man finished with 12 points, 11 boards and three blocks in 38 minutes.

More impressive was how he stayed on the floor despite carrying five fouls over the final 8:41 of the game (including overtime). In that span, the second-year center snared four of his rebounds and contested multiple shots at the rim without picking up that sixth and final foul.

"You can't ask for more from a guy who's 21 years old," said Suns Head Coach Jeff Hornacek. "I think he's laying in the locker room a little tired right now."

2. Markieff quietly dominated

There were no highlight dunks from Markieff Morris. No cross-over dribbles or breath-taking forays to the rim (Bledsoe and Westbrook had taken over that department).

The forward's impact was no less significant. On a night Westbrook tried to steal the show himself, Morris gave Phoenix the second hot hand it needed with 29 points, 11 rebounds, three assists a steal and a block. His three-point play with 20.5 seconds left gave the Suns a three-point lead they wound up needing once Westbrook's own and-one sent it to overtime.

1. Bledsoe vs. Westbrook was epic

Bledsoe's Big Night

Oklahoma City's All-Star guard was his usual, terrifying self, going off for 39 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists.

What had the NBA world buzzing on Thursday was how well Eric Bledsoe countered blow for blow. The Suns' playmaker nearly had a triple-double of his own and was far more efficient in the process, scoring 28 points on 11-of-16 shooting to go along with 13 rebounds, nine assists, four blocks and a steal.

How epic was the duel? Thursday's game was the first time since 1961 that two opposing players recorded at least 28 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists in the same game.