The opening game of the 2025 NBA playoff series between the No. 1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder and the No. 8 seed Memphis Grizzlies was a blowout of epic proportions.
Top-seeded Oklahoma City had six players in double figures, led by 32 points at halftime and cruised to a 131-80 demolition of the Grizzlies. The 51-point blowout was the largest margin of victory in Game 1 of a playoff series in NBA history. It came on the heels of the Thunder setting an NBA record for average point differential (+12.5) during the regular season.
The Grizzlies came into the first-round series after defeating the Dallas Mavericks 120-106 in the Play-In Tournament to secure the No. 8 seed in the West.
But they were no match for the Thunder. Memphis shot just 34% from the field for the game, with star guard Ja Morant held to 17 points on 6-of-17 shooting.
USA TODAY Sports provided updates, scores and highlights from Sunday’s Game 1:
The Thunder scored the largest playoff win in franchise history in routing the Grizzlies.
- Thunder 131, Grizzlies 80
Playing just 23 minutes, the Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored his fewest points in a game this season in Sunday’s Game 1 win.
- Points: 15
- Rebounds: 3
- Assists: 5
- FG: 4-13
- 3PT: 1-7
- FT: 6-7
- Fouls: 2
The Grizzlies’ Ja Morant sat out fhe fourth quarter and played just 26 minutes in Game 1. His stat line:
- Points: 17
- Rebounds: 3
- Assists: 4
- FG: 6-17
- 3PT: 1-6
- FT: 4-5
- Fouls: 2
Oklahoma City showed no ill effects of a layoff between the end of the regular season and the start of the playoffs. The Thunder looked every bit like the top-seeded team in the West by thoroughly dominating the first half, leading the Grizzlies 68-36.
Running the offense to perfection, OKC shot 53.2% from the field, with many of their baskets coming on wide open shots or as a result of fast break opportunities.
The offense has been so proficient, the Thunder haven’t even needed much from star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has just nine points at the break. Isaiah Hartenstein and Jalen Williams lead the way with 14 points.
Oklahoma City has also done a tremendous job on defense.
Grizzlies were third in the NBA in scoring average during the regular season but the Thunder have clamped down on Ja Morant and Co., holding them to 33% shooting from the field and just 2-for-18 (11%) from 3-point range.
- G Ja Morant
- G Scotty Pippen Jr.
- F Desmond Bane
- F Jaren Jackson Jr.
- C Zach Edey
- G Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
- G Lu Dort
- F Jalen Williams
- F Chet Holmgren
- C Isaiah Hartenstein
What time is Grizzlies vs. Thunder?
Game 1 of the NBA playoff series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Memphis Grizzlies is at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, April 20.
Watch Grizzlies vs. Thunder with a free trial of Fubo
How to watch Grizzlies vs. Thunder: Time, TV, streaming info
- Time: 1 p.m. ET
- TV: ABC
- Stream: Fubo, SlingTV
- Location: Paycom Center (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)
The Thunder are favored to defeat the Grizzlies in the NBA playoffs first round, per BetMGM odds (as of Sunday, April 20):
- Series winner: Thunder (-2000), Grizzlies (+1000)
- Game 1 spread: Thunder (-13.5)
- Game 1 Moneyline: Thunder (-1000); Grizzlies (+625)
- Game 1 Over/Under: 231.5
Grizzlies vs. Thunder: NBA playoffs picks and predictions
USA TODAY: The Thunder rolls
Here are USA TODAY staff picks for the Grizzlies vs. Thunder series:
- Lorenzo Reyes: Thunder in 5
- Heather Tucker: Thunder in 5
- James Williams: Thunder in 5
- Jeff Zillgitt: Thunder in 5
NBA.com: Thunder in four
John Schuhmann writes: “OKC won 68 games this season and is poised to not only win four more, but four straight. This series seems lopsided in the Thunder’s favor, for so many obvious reasons — highly-rated both offensively and defensively, size and depth, and the mastery of Shai. Memphis hasn’t been a threat since late January, losing nine of 14 down the stretch. The Grizzlies bring three capable scorers in Ja, Jackson and Bane, and Edey’s tough on the glass. That still might not be enough to win a game, let alone an entire series against a team that never lost more than two straight all season. Expect big nights from Shai and some lockdown D from Dort.”
Sports Illustrated: Thunder in five
Peter Dewey writes: “The Thunder dominated this matchup during the regular season for a reason – Memphis’ half-court offense is too shaky to rely on. Alex Caruso, Lu Dort, Cason Wallace and others can all be thrown at Morant to slow him down, and OKC has by far the best player in this series in SGA. All season long, the Thunder have dominated at home, and they also have been far and away the best defensive rated team in the league.”
