The Memphis Grizzlies took a devastating hit in their playoff opener, crumbling under the Oklahoma City Thunder’s relentless attack in a game that quickly turned historic for all the wrong reasons.
Sunday’s matchup slipped away early and never tightened, leaving Memphis scrambling for answers ahead of a crucial Game 2.
The 51-point defeat stands as the largest Game 1 blowout in NBA playoff history, a shocking start to what many expected would be a competitive series.
Yet amid the rubble of this collapse, Memphis found their star point guard refusing to wave the white flag.
“If we win Tuesday – series 1-1. Then this game won’t matter,” Ja Morant said, reports OKC Thunder Wire’s Clemente Almanza.
Ja Morant: “If we win Tuesday series 1-1. Then this game won't matter.”
pic.twitter.com/tzn1Ps0vq7— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) April 20, 2025
The confident response comes with a touch of irony.
Just three seasons ago, the tables were completely turned when the Memphis Grizzlies demolished the Thunder by an NBA-record 73 points.
Basketball fortunes can change quickly, and Sunday’s game proved that painful lesson as Oklahoma City built a lead that surpassed 50 points during the third quarter.
Morant provided one of the few glimpses of fight for Memphis, scoring 17 points on 6-of-17 shooting, tying Marvin Bagley III for team-high honors.
The rest of the starting lineup struggled mightily, with no other starter reaching double figures in the scoring column.
Despite the humbling defeat, Morant’s confidence signals that Memphis hasn’t lost faith.
The Grizzlies now face a pivotal Game 2 on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. ET, where a bounce-back performance could reset the series just as Morant predicted.
Another loss, however, would send them home facing a daunting 0-2 deficit against a Thunder team that’s clearly firing on all cylinders.
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