The Oklahoma City Thunder pulled away late to beat the Memphis Grizzlies 118-99 in Game 2 of their Western Conference first-round series. The Thunder crush Grizzlies again, taking a dominant 2-0 lead despite Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s shooting struggles.
Thunder Depth Overwhelms Grizzlies
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continues to struggle from the field, shooting just 32.6% across the series. Yet Oklahoma City’s depth and elite defense made sure it didn’t matter.
Oklahoma City has now outscored Memphis by 70 points across the first two games. That’s the second-largest point differential through two games in NBA playoff history, trailing only the 1986 Lakers.
SGA, after another tough shooting night, stayed positive:
“That’s part of basketball. It’s ups and downs… My team has had my back.”
Game 2 Highlights
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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: 27 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals
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Jalen Williams: 24 points
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Chet Holmgren: 20 points
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Alex Caruso (Bench): 13 points
The Thunder bench outscored the Grizzlies’ bench 33-14, continuing the trend from Game 1 where six players scored in double figures.
Defensively, Oklahoma City smothered Memphis, allowing just 8 fast-break points combined over the first two games.
What’s Next
The series shifts to Memphis for Game 3. The Grizzlies, already battered by injuries, must find a way to slow down a Thunder team firing on all cylinders — even when its superstar struggles.
The Thunder’s team-first mentality and stifling defense have made them the most dominant force so far in these playoffs.
