As the Western Conference playoff series heads into Game 2, both the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Memphis Grizzlies are focused on moving past the opener — though for very different reasons.
Oklahoma City is coming off a dominant 131–80 victory in Game 1, a performance that has them mindful not to get too comfortable. Despite the 51-point win, Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein made it clear that the team is staying grounded.
“We’re not coming in like we just won by 50,” Hartenstein said. “We’re staying hungry.”
For the Grizzlies, Game 1 was nothing short of disastrous. The loss marked the second-worst in franchise history, the fifth-largest defeat in NBA playoff history, and the biggest margin ever in a Game 1. Still, Memphis is trying to maintain perspective.
“At the end of the day, it’s one game,” said Desmond Bane. “Whether you lose by 50 or by one, the series is still 1-0. It’s not what we wanted, but we’ve still got a shot to steal one on the road.”
Interim coach Tuomas Iisalo echoed that mindset. “Our goal is to win one here,” he said. “They say a playoff series doesn’t really begin until there’s a road win.”
Memphis will need a much sharper performance to make that happen. The Grizzlies’ starters shot a combined 25 percent from the field, with Ja Morant going 6-of-17 and Jaren Jackson Jr. struggling at 2-of-13.
“We’ll never play that bad again,” Morant said confidently.
Adding another layer of challenge for Memphis — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City’s MVP frontrunner, had an off night by his standards with just 15 points on 4-of-13 shooting. Yet the Thunder still cruised to victory.
“Every shot felt good,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “That’s what matters. Sometimes they go, sometimes they don’t.”
Grizzlies forward Santi Aldama acknowledged the steep climb ahead: “They’re a great team. To beat a team like that in the playoffs, you’ve got to play close to perfect.”
While perfection might not be required, Memphis clearly needs to raise its game. The Thunder swept all four regular-season meetings, each by 13 points or more.
“There are no magic tricks,” said Iisalo. “We’ll watch film and make the necessary adjustments.”
Despite having the league’s best defense, Thunder coach Mark Daigneault believes Game 1 was an anomaly — especially against a Memphis squad that ranked second in scoring during the regular season.
“We executed well, but you don’t usually see that kind of result against players of their caliber,” Daigneault said. “We expect them to respond, and we have to match that intensity.”
Game Info
- Location: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
- Broadcast: NBA League Pass
— Field Level Media
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