The Oklahoma City Thunder delivered a historic performance Sunday night, dismantling the Memphis Grizzlies 131-80 in Game 1 of their first-round playoff matchup at Paycom Center.
The 51-point blowout not only marked the most lopsided playoff win in Thunder franchise history, but it also ranks as the fifth-largest margin of victory in NBA postseason history—and the biggest ever in an opening game of a playoff series.
Memphis held a brief 9-8 lead early in the first quarter, but that would be their only bright spot. Oklahoma City responded with a staggering 47-13 run that completely flipped the game on its head and buried any hopes of a competitive contest.
OKC was clicking on all cylinders, setting a new franchise playoff record with 37 assists, breaking their previous record of 29 before the final quarter even began.
Jalen Williams led the team with 20 points, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 15. In a testament to their dominance, the Thunder starters spent much of the second half on the bench, with the game already well out of reach.
The series continues with Game 2 scheduled for Tuesday at 6:30 p.m., again at Paycom Center, where the Thunder will look to build on their commanding lead.