PHOENIX – Sunday was an embarrassing outing for the Phoenix Suns in Game 1 vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder. Outside of a competitive first four minutes, Phoenix was outplayed and dominated for the next 44 minutes to lose 119-84. It was the third-largest playoff loss in franchise history. However, there was still a positive to take out from this game in rookie forward Rasheer Fleming.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The 21-year-old didn’t see the court until the fourth quarter and still had a significant impact. Fleming went three-of-three from beyond the arc, ending with nine points and being the team’s fourth-leading scorer. The shooting spree caught the eye of Dillon Brooks on the bench.
Apr 19, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Aaron Wiggins (21) drives around Phoenix Suns forward Rasheer Fleming (20) in the second half during game one of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Fleming shows out in Game 1:
Fleming has appeared in 55 games this season and has illustrated that he is ready to be a permanent piece of the rotation. In 673 minutes, he has a net rating of +6.8, which is the second-highest on the team. When Fleming is on the court the defensive rating drops to 109.7, which would ranked third in the NBA.
The only hurdle holding the 6’9 forward back is his offensive game, not having a consistent jumper. Sunday was a massive step forward for him by knocking down all three of his deep three pointers.
Mar 28, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns head Coach Jordan Ott with forward Rasheer Fleming (20) against the Utah Jazz at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
When the team wasn’t healthy, Fleming went through a 21 games stretch playing 19.1 minutes per game averaging 6.9 points and 3.7 rebounds. He was playing stellar basketball on both ends and looked to a critical piece of the rotation. Once the injured starters returned, that changed. Fleming minutes for the next four games went: 7:37, DNP, 1:04 and 13:30.
Apr 2, 2026; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Rasheer Fleming (20) on defense against Charlotte Hornets guard Coby White (3) during the second quarter at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
The final two games of the regular season had all the rotational players sit, which allowed Fleming to score a season-high 16 points against Oklahoma City. Despite the scoring outburst, head coach Jordan Ott doesn’t seem to trust the young forward in these high-leverage playoff game. However, after Sunday’s final score, what does Ott have to lose putting Fleming into the deep end.
Suns overwhelmed in Game 1 vs. Thunder, Jalen Green points to pace for Game 2
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Reporter Tanner Tortorella covers general assignment for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @TannerTSports
