Walking in Memphis.
In Game 3 of the No. 1 seeded Oklahoma City Thunder’s Round 1 test against the Memphis Grizzlies, a lethargic start led to an unbelievable comeback, winning 114-108 after trailing by as much as 29 points in the first half.
There were several solid performances, but Chet Holmgren was a massive bright spot during this game, finishing the contest with 24 points and eight rebounds on 50% shooting, 8-for-16. Holmgren’s offensive contribution during the second half brought some much-needed energy into the Thunder in a game that seemed all but over around that time.
OKC struggled from the opening tip, which is a situation they have rarely found themselves in during this historic run of a season. In some ways, the Grizzlies dominant first-half performance may have been just what the doctor ordered, and a wakeup call for the Thunder when it comes to what could happen down the line in the playoffs, but the second-half comeback did the same in favor of Oklahoma City.
After finding themselves in an 11-point hole to start the second quarter, it was evident the Thunder had their work cut out for them. Despite a hot first-quarter start for star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who opened the game with 12 points, there was a clear lack of urgency, focus and effort from the Thunder.
That concept got elevated by ten levels as the second quarter progressed, with standout performances from Scotty Pippen Jr. and Ja Morant leading to a first-half routing by the Grizzlies. They led 77-51 heading into the locker room, leaving the Thunder stunned and scratching their heads. It is also worth noting that Gilgeous-Alexander was held to only six points in the second quarter.
“I just through out of halftime, we kind of reconnected to who we are. We were very out of character in the first half,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said.
Morant suffered an injury after taking a hard fall and was immediately taken to the locker room. Morant did not return for the remainder of the game and was spotted leaving the arena on crutches. Since Morant exited the game, the Thunder heavily outscored Memphis, who seemed to lose their spirit.
Embed from Getty ImagesTo make up for the lost production of Morant, Pippen really stepped up. He finished the game with 28 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals on 8-for-16 shooting.
For the Thunder, Gilgeous-Alexander also did his thing in the scoring department. He finished with 31 points and eight assists on 10-for-26 from the field, going 9-for-9 from the free-throw line as well. Again, the Thunder star did not have his best performance, which was the case for OKC’s first two games at home as well. He did increase his scoring output from the first two, however.
You will not find a defensive performance as poor as the one the Thunder put out against Memphis in the first half. It may have been because of the effort, but the Grizzlies managed to shoot 50% from the great beyond in the first half. That number took a nosedive to 33% by the end of the game.
A light at the end of the tunnel shone through to start the second half, with the help of two triples from forward Holmgren. Those six points and a jumper from Gilgeous-Alexander brought the Thunder within 13 points, finally applying some sort of pressure on Memphis. Holmgren stayed hot, hitting another three shortly after.
That shot of momentum carried into the fourth quarter, with Jalen Williams and Gilgeous-Alexander beginning to heat up. The duo got the deficit to six points with nine minutes to play, thanks to a Holmgren slam. A trio of Gilgeous-Alexander free throws tied the game, setting the stage for a dramatic finish.
In shocking fashion, the Thunder somehow took the lead with under a minute to go. A combination of free throw attempts and perimeter shots from Holmgren, the Oklahoma City Thunder mounted a huge rally. A 10-0 run over the final few minutes sealed the deal for the road team, helping them improve to 3-0 in the series.
The defensive heroics from Alex Caruso late in the fourth quarter should not be a surprise or go unnoticed. His suffocating on-ball defense and multiple forced turnovers, along with his usual hustle plays, were critical aspects to the Thunders comeback.
Game 4 of the series will be in Memphis, tipping off at 2:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, April 25.
