Thunder eviscerate Grizzlies by 51 points, flirt with NBA history in Game 1 win

The Oklahoma City Thunder astir enactment the Memphis Grizzlies connected the incorrect broadside of NBA past with their blowout triumph successful Game 1 of their first-round bid connected Sunday afternoon. 

The Thunder beat the Grizzlies, 131-80, and that 51-point borderline was 7 points shy of the worst playoff nonaccomplishment by immoderate squad successful NBA history. 

That grounds inactive sits with the New Orleans Hornets, who fell to the Denver Nuggets, 121-63, successful the 2009 Western Conference archetypal round. It was the worst playoff nonaccomplishment successful league history.

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Oklahoma City Thunder defender Luguentz Dort, left, high-fives defender Shai Gilgeous-Alexander aft scoring a 3-point handbasket against the Memphis Grizzlies during the 2nd half. (Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images)

Meanwhile, Oklahoma City had the fifth-largest borderline of triumph by immoderate squad successful playoff past acknowledgment to tremendous shot question and changeable selection, particularly astir the rim. 

As a team, the Thunder changeable 50.5% (50-for-99), and they missed conscionable 1 escaped propulsion connected 15 attempts. 

JA MORANT SHRUGS OFF INJURY AS GRIZZLIES TOP MAVS TO MOVE ON TO NBA PLAYOFFS

Meanwhile, the Grizzlies struggled with a squad 34.4% shooting percentage, including a putrid 6-of-34 from 3-point territory. 

Memphis stars similar Jaren Jackson Jr. (2-for-13), Ja Morant (6-for-17) and Desmond Bane (3-for-12) struggled each crippled long. Morant was the lone starter to notch double-digit points. 

Oklahoma City Thunder halfway Isaiah Hartenstein drives to the handbasket successful beforehand of Memphis Grizzlies halfway Zach Edey during the 2nd quarter. (Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images)

Oklahoma City, who earned the No. 1 wide effect aft owning the league’s champion grounds of 68-14 during the regular season, played exceptionally good connected some ends of the floor. 

Defensively, they forced 22 turnovers compared to their ain 15 for the game. 

By the end, each starters from some teams were resting arsenic extent players killed the timepiece to zero. Realistically, it could’ve been a worse nonaccomplishment for the Grizzlies arsenic the 4th fourth lone saw 19 points scored by Oklahoma City compared to Memphis’ 17. 

Looking much astatine the container score, the starring scorer for the Thunder really came disconnected the bench, arsenic Aaron Wiggins dropped 21 connected 8-of-15 shooting with 4 made 3-pointers. 

Memphis Grizzlies defender Ja Morant walks disconnected the tribunal during the 2nd fractional of a crippled against the Oklahoma City Thunder. (Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images)

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Every Oklahoma City starter managed double-digit points, with Jalen Williams starring that radical with 20, Chet Holmgren notching 19 and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander having 15 contempt shooting conscionable 4-of-13 from the field.

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