MEMPHIS — The Oklahoma City Thunder looked like a team running on fumes early Sunday evening. On the last stop of a week long, four game road trip that started on the West Coast, they were slow, sluggish, and out of rhythm.
But after a rough first half, the defending champions flipped the switch and finished strong, beating the Memphis Grizzlies 114-100 to close the trip 3-1 and improve to 10-1 overall.
It was a clear tale of two halfs.
“I thought we just were behind the ball for a lot of the first part of that game” Mark Daigneault said.
It was transition and then just they were sharper than we were, you know, plain and simple uh on both ends of the floor. And then um you know obviously we had a great second half but I thought the group uh with like five to go in the second quarter that really stabilized the game and when you come back from a deficit like that it’s always that like invisible part of the game where it went from like 19 to 11 and got us into like a manageable spot and and got kind of our mojo back.”
Simply, the Thunder energy in the first half was flat. Memphis shot 47% through the first two quarters, while Oklahoma City managed only 39% from the field and 19% from three. The Grizzlies built a 19 point lead midway through the second quarter, capitalizing on every defensive breakdown and loose rebound. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who carried most of the scoring load, struggled early, going 5-14 before halftime looking short on most of his shots.
A brief burst in the final minutes of the half changed everything though. The Thunder closed on a 14-6 run to trim the deficit to 62-51 at the break. From that point on, the tone of the game completely flipped.
The second half was all Oklahoma City. The Thunder outscored Memphis 63-38 over the final 24 minutes, including a dominant 34-18 third quarter.
The difference started on defense, where their point-of-attack pressure was night and day compared to the first half. Cason Wallace led the charge, smothering Ja Morant and holding him to just 3-18 shooting from the field. The improved ball pressure disrupted the Grizzlies’ rhythm and forced them into tougher shots throughout the half.
That defensive intensity gave the Thunder new life on the offensive end. They started getting out in transition, pushing the pace, and attacking the paint with force. Gilgeous-Alexander and Ajay Mitchell took control, both getting downhill and keeping Memphis’ defense on its heels.
Mitchell had another stellar performance with 21 points to go with 6 rebounds and 4 assists, while Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 35 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists.
In the frontcourt, Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein took command inside. Holmgren added 21 points and 7 rebounds, while Hartenstein continued his steady two-way play with 18 points and 13 boards. Their activity on both ends helped turn the momentum, as Oklahoma City began controlling the glass and eliminating second chance looks for Memphis.
The Thunder defense was the biggest story of the night. After giving up 62 points in the first half, they limited the Grizzlies to only 38 points on 12-42 shooting in the second half. Memphis shot just 40% overall and 26% from three for the game, with Jaren Jackson Jr. leading the way at 17 points. But even those numbers feel generous to the Grizzlies.
As the game wore on, Oklahoma City’s composure and experience showed. Gilgeous-Alexander took over in the fourth quarter, scoring nine straight points, including a pair of threes and a three point play, to push the lead to double digits and put the game out of reach.
It was a complete turnaround from the sluggish start and a strong finish to a demanding road stretch. The Thunder looked every bit like a team capable of adjusting on the fly, leaning on defense and discipline to grind out a win when their offense wasn’t clicking early.
The victory extended Oklahoma City’s winning streak over Memphis to 14 straight games, including sweeping them in last season’s first round playoffs. More importantly, it showed the Thunder ability to find another gear when fatigue sets in, a key trait for a contender.
The Thunder return home with momentum intact and a 10-1 record. They will host the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night at Paycom Center in the first night of a back to back.
