MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander delivered a nine-point outburst late in the fourth quarter, powering the Oklahoma City Thunder to a dominant 114-100 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday. The win, which saw the defending NBA champions erase a 19-point first-half deficit, moves Oklahoma City’s stellar record to 10-1 overall and 6-1 on the road.
Gilgeous-Alexander finished with a game-high 35 points, but his late-game heroics sealed the victory. With Memphis still within single digits in the final four minutes, the superstar guard knocked down consecutive 3-pointers and completed a three-point play, stretching the lead into double-figures and snuffing out the Grizzlies’ challenge.
Overcoming the Deficit
The Thunder, despite struggling with their shooting early (39% overall and 19% from deep in the first half), found themselves trailing by as many as 19 points before cutting the Grizzlies’ lead to 62-51 at the break. The turning point came in the third quarter, where Oklahoma City unleashed a 34-18 run to completely erase the advantage. The Thunder ultimately outscored the Grizzlies 63-38 in the second half.
Gilgeous-Alexander had plenty of support from his teammates:
- Chet Holmgren and Ajay Mitchell each scored 21 points.
- Isaiah Hartenstein added a double-double with 18 points and 13 rebounds.
Grizzlies Struggle to Contain Run
Memphis, which shot over 50% for most of the first half, was led by Jaren Jackson Jr. with 17 points. However, the team struggled against the surging Thunder, particularly Ja Morant, who was limited to just 11 points on 3-for-18 shooting from the field. Cedric Coward contributed 13 points and 10 rebounds for the Grizzlies, while Jaylen Wells and Sant Aldama each scored 12.
The victory extends Oklahoma City’s dominance over Memphis to 14 consecutive wins, a streak that includes a four-game sweep in last season’s Western Conference playoffs opening round.
The Thunder will next host the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday.
