Phoenix @ Oklahoma City preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 28, 2018 ) Oklahoma City 118, Phoenix 102

The Oklahoma City Thunder have notched back-to-back impressive comeback wins entering Friday's home matchup with the Phoenix Suns. Oklahoma City overcame a 26-point deficit to defeat the Chicago Bulls on Monday and rallied from 24 down to knock off the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday.

According to the Thunder, they are the lone NBA team in the past 20 years to overcome deficits of at least 24 points in back-to-back games and win both times but the players would like to avoid digging such large holes. "Two of them. You can't rely on it," backup guard Dennis Schroder told reporters. "We've just got to come out better in the first quarter. But it was good. We can go home and enjoy the time but we've got to be better for 48 (minutes)." Phoenix has lost its last four games and five of six and won't know until sometime Friday whether star shooting guard Devin Booker (forearm) will return after a three-game absence. Making matters worse is that the Suns have lost 15 consecutive games in Oklahoma City since last winning on Dec. 19, 2010.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, FS Arizona (Phoenix), FS Oklahoma

ABOUT THE SUNS (11-16): Second-year center Deandre Ayton returned from a 25-game suspension for use of a diuretic and had 18 points and 12 rebounds in Tuesday's 120-99 road loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. Ayton played in the season opener before the discipline was handed down but it took him a while to find his stride in Tuesday's game. "He still has to get in his rhythm, so I'm not going to judge him too hard," Phoenix small forward Kelly Oubre Jr. told reporters. At the end of the day, he's one piece of this puzzle."

ABOUT THE THUNDER (13-14): Schroder fueled Wednesday's comeback with 22 second-half points to finish with 31 to equal his season-best output. "He has done a lot of great things. He is not only scoring, he is defending real well," Oklahoma City coach Billy Donovan told reporters of Schroder. "I thought his competitive spirit when we were down the way we were and the way he came out there trying to lift up those guys and inspire them was great, but he has an incredible competitive spirit about himself." Schroder has topped 20 points in five of the past seven games and is averaging 23 points during the stretch.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Thunder went 4-0 against the Suns last season and have won the past six overall meetings.

2. Oklahoma City F Danilo Gallinari is averaging 21 points over the past two games after a three-game funk in which he averaged 11 while making 10-of-37 shots.

3. Phoenix PG Ricky Rubio is 6-of-26 shooting over the past two games.

PREDICTION: Thunder 115, Suns 109