Even with their superstar struggling to find his rhythm, the Oklahoma City Thunder overwhelmed the Memphis Grizzlies 118-99 in Game 2, flexing the kind of dominance that’s starting to feel like a statement.
There was a moment midway through the third quarter, when it felt like Memphis might make this a contest. The Grizzlies had trimmed the deficit to single digits. But just as hope flickered, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander extinguished it with back-to-back buckets, including a deft turnaround jumper over the towering Zach Edey.
Those flashes were rare. Despite another inefficient night from their MVP frontrunner, the Thunder were in complete control. Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 27 points on 10-of-29 shooting and admitted, “I feel like I’m getting looks I usually make and just missing them… My team is really good. They’ve had my back these last two nights.”
That trust is well-earned. Oklahoma City’s depth continues to shine, with Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren combining for 44 points. Off the bench, Alex Caruso chipped in 13, contributing to a dominant 33-14 bench scoring advantage.
The Thunder’s defense has been just as ruthless. Memphis, known for their transition play, managed only eight fast-break points across both games. It’s a stifling, collective effort that mirrors their historic regular season point differential and so far, it’s carried seamlessly into the playoffs.
Gilgeous-Alexander may not be shooting the lights out, but his presence remains vital. With eight rebounds, five assists, and two steals, he’s impacting games far beyond the box score. “He might miss a couple shots, but if we’re winning games how we’re winning them and he’s having average days, I think that bodes well for us forward,” said Caruso.
