Oklahoma City @ Phoenix preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 7, 2018 ) Oklahoma City 100, Phoenix 114

The Phoenix Suns snapped a 10-game losing streak on Wednesday, but more winning probably isn’t in the long-term interest of the franchise. The Oklahoma City Thunder, who visit the Suns on Friday, are definitely in win-now mode and took four of their last five.

The Thunder didn't exactly blow out a pair of teams at the bottom of the standings in the last two games, beating Orlando 112-105 and going to overtime before scratching out a 111-110 win at Dallas, but point guard Russell Westbrook isn’t concerned. "What's our record against the best teams in the league?" Westbrook asked reporters of Oklahoma City, which is 4-1 against the Warriors, Rockets and Raptors. "We're not worried. I'm not worried. Sometimes it happens like that. We know we're going to get teams' best shot. We got another team's best shot, but as long as we continue to get a win, that's all I care about." The Thunder are locked in a battle for positioning in the Western Conference and need to avoid overlooking the Suns with a trip to the Portland Trail Blazers scheduled for Saturday. Phoenix earned a 110-102 win at Memphis on Wednesday, defeating a Grizzlies team that also entered the contest with a 10-game losing streak.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, FS Oklahoma, FS Arizona (Phoenix)

ABOUT THE THUNDER (36-27): Westbrook made history while averaging a triple-double during his 2016-17 MVP campaign and continues to fill up the boxscore while averaging 24.9 points, 10.3 assists and 9.6 rebounds this season. Westbrook scored only eight points in the win over the Magic but bounced back with 30 at Dallas and insists he is just doing what the defense dictates. "I read the coverages and see what works and what doesn’t. It’s just making the play when need to be,” Westbrook told reporters. “Regardless of missing or making shots, my mentality never changes throughout the game.”

ABOUT THE SUNS (19-44): Phoenix is giving plenty of opportunities to the younger players on its roster during the lost season and recently brought point guard Shaquille Harrison up from the G League. Harrison impressed his teammates during 18 minutes on Wednesday in which he collected seven points, five rebounds and four steals. “The thing with Shaq, not only is it the things you see on the stat sheet, It’s the effort plays he was making, diving on the ball, getting steals, getting other people involved,” Suns guard Devin Booker told reporters. “Incredible effort defensively and offensively. He played with a lot of high energy.”

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Booker is averaging 31.8 points over the last five games.

2. Thunder F Carmelo Anthony is 15-of-46 from the floor over the last three games.

3. Phoenix took the last three in the series, including a 114-100 home win on Jan. 7.

PREDICTION: Thunder 122, Suns 115