The Oklahoma City Thunder throttled the Memphis Grizzlies 131-80 in Game 1 of the Western Conference playoffs. This thrashing wasn’t just a statement of intent; it narrowly missed making NBA playoff history.
The 51-point margin between the teams was just 7 points shy of the record for the largest point difference in a playoff game. That record has been achieved twice before: by the Denver Nuggets against the New Orleans Hornets in 2009 and the Minneapolis Lakers against the St. Louis Hawks in 1956.
A Missed Opportunity
The Thunder’s 131 points, though impressive, fell short of the NBA playoff record for most points scored in a game. That distinction belongs to the Boston Celtics, who scored 157 points against the New York Knicks in Game 2 of the first round back in 1985. OKC’s offense was still rolling when coach Mark Daigneault started making wholesale changes, preventing them from reaching that mark.
The top 5 highest-scoring games in NBA playoff history are:
- 157 points – Celtics vs. Knicks (1985)
- 156 points – Bucks vs. 76ers (1970)
- 154 points – Clippers vs. Mavericks (2020)
- 148 points – Celtics vs. Lakers (1985)
- 133 points – Lakers vs. Hawks (1956)
Game Stats
The Thunder’s bench was instrumental in their dominating performance, with Aaron Wiggins leading the way with 21 points, including 4 three-pointers. Jalen Williams chipped in with 20 points and 6 assists, while Chet Holmgren added 19 points and 10 rebounds. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder’s star, contributed 15 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists. For the Grizzlies, Ja Morant and Marvin Bagley were the lone bright spots, each scoring 17 points.
The game was effectively over by halftime, with the Thunder up 68-36. The Grizzlies never recovered, and the Thunder coasted to an easy victory.
