Two teammates from the national team are clashing in the playoffs.

In the playoffs, wherever Dillon is, there will always be competitiveness. Even if you are teammates on the national team, even if you have fought together on the international stage, when you are playing for your respective teams, you still trash talk.

In the second quarter of the Thunder vs. Suns game, Dillon defended against Alexander's layup and then cursed at Alexander who was lying on the ground. The rivalry between these two lasted for several rounds, and Dillon immediately showed his smug face after winning this round.

Alexander's response came in the next round. Dillon flew to intercept the Thunder's pass, bringing the Suns' momentum to its peak. The next time Alexander received the ball, he scored a pull-up jumper over Dillon.

On the way back to defense, Alexander looked at Dillon with disdain, pointed at Dillon with his injured finger, and showed a slight scornful smile. In these rounds of rivalry, Alexander won again. Although Dillon was lively on the court, the best defender against Alexander in the first half was Gillespie. Alexander only had 2 free throws in the first half but still scored 17 points.

Perhaps the most terrifying thing about Alexander is his incredibly stable emotions. In memory, no one has truly provoked him. Every player who tried to mess with his mindset ended up failing. No matter what happens, he remains unmoved. Then he scores over you.

Even facing injuries, his emotions remain stable. In the first quarter today, when Alexander fell, his finger bent outward, and he grimaced in pain at that moment. While receiving treatment from the team doctor on the bench, he drank water with no expression.

This attribute of becoming stronger through setbacks in Alexander is really suitable for playing in the playoffs. Before his finger injury, he shot 1 out of 5; after the injury, he made four consecutive shots. Who can explain this?

In the final quarter, Dillon still relentlessly targeted Alexander, intentionally bumping into him with a provocative gesture. Another Canadian, Dort, stepped forward to confront Dillon. Alexander lay on the ground for a moment, stood up without even looking at Dillon, and went to the free-throw line to make two shots.

In this game, Dillon scored 30 points, and it's hard to ask him to score more. But Alexander and the Thunder still "easily" defeated the Suns.

In the entire game, Alexander shot 13 out of 25, 2 out of 5 from three-point range, and made 9 out of 9 free throws, scoring 37 points, 5 rebounds, and 9 assists. He played much better today than in the first game, with more offensive desire and better touch. Of course, the Suns also played well today, which stimulated Alexander's offensive desire. But the pressure this Suns team can give to the Thunder is ultimately limited.

From the playoff games, it can be seen that the Suns are now a team that relies heavily on outside shooting touch. What the Thunder excel at is perimeter pressure defense, expanding defense and increasing intensity anytime. The Suns' shooting touch will inevitably fluctuate, while the Thunder's defensive intensity can consistently trouble the Suns.

The Thunder have now won 10 consecutive first-round playoff games. They swept 4-0 in the previous two years and started 2-0 this season. Whether the Suns can take a game from the Thunder depends more on whether the Thunder can maintain 100% focus in away games.

Of course, the biggest concern for the Thunder today is that Jalen Williams' hamstring is injured again. In the third quarter, after blocking Booker's layup, Jalen Williams held his left hamstring and quickly returned to the locker room for examination. It has been confirmed as a hamstring injury.

In the regular season this year, Jalen Williams only played 33 games. Early in the season, due to a wrist injury, he was absent until November 29th to return. But after playing for over a month, he missed several weeks due to a right hamstring injury. After a rushed return, he played two games and then suffered another right hamstring injury, returning only at the end of the season.

Due to the right hamstring injury, Jalen missed more than half of the season's games. More critically, today his left hamstring is injured—another leg—and the situation does not look optimistic.

But the scary thing about the Thunder is that Jalen Williams is now like "icing on the cake" for the team. Having him is better, but without him, life goes on, and the Thunder remains a top-tier team in the West.

If Jalen Williams misses a long time, or even the entire season, and the Thunder still successfully defend their title, that would truly be the "grand finale" for the NBA.