💥 Thunder’s Bench Ignites Record-Setting Victory
The Oklahoma City Thunder unleashed a dominant performance in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series, overwhelming the Memphis Grizzlies with a 131–80 victory. This 51-point margin stands as the fifth-largest in NBA postseason history and the largest ever in a playoff series opener .
Key contributors for the Thunder included:
- Aaron Wiggins: 21 points off the bench
- Jalen Williams: 20 points
- Chet Holmgren: 19 points, 10 rebounds
- Isaiah Hartenstein: 14 points
Despite a modest 15-point outing from MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder’s depth and top-ranked defense proved overwhelming. Oklahoma City capitalized on Memphis’ mistakes, scoring 24 points off 24 turnovers and dominating in fast-break points 27–5 .
🐻 Grizzlies Struggle to Find Footing
The Grizzlies faced challenges throughout the game, with their top scorers, Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr., combining for just 8-of-30 shooting from the field. Memphis managed only 20 points in the first quarter and couldn’t recover as the Thunder extended their lead with a 23–2 run in the second quarter .
Interim coach Tuomas Iisalo acknowledged the team’s difficulties, stating, “It’s very hard to play worse than this.”
📊 Game Highlights
- Largest Lead: Thunder led by as much as 56 points
- Three-Point Shooting: Thunder 15-of-34 (44.1%), Grizzlies 6-of-34 (17.6%)
- Turnovers: Grizzlies committed 24, leading to 24 Thunder points
- Bench Points: Thunder’s bench outscored Grizzlies’ bench significantly
📅 Looking Ahead
The series continues with Game 2 scheduled for Tuesday, April 22, 2025, at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City. The Grizzlies will aim to regroup and adjust after the lopsided defeat.