In the final three and a half minutes of Friday night’s game in Memphis, the Oklahoma City Thunder outscored the Grizzlies 14-2, completing a 21-point second-half comeback without reigning league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and standout center Chet Holmgren.
Granted the Grizzlies were missing star point guard Ja Morant — who is currently sidelined due to a right calf contusion and is reportedly on the trading block — but they still were in the driver’s seat at home against a Thunder team that’s looked more vulnerable over the last month.
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In fact, with Oklahoma City’s 117-116 triumph over Memphis, head coach Mark Daigneault’s squad improved to just 8-6 in its past 14 games after starting the season 24-1.
But the Thunder (32-7) have the Grizzlies (16-22) figured out. They’ve won all three of the teams’ matchups this season, first rallying from 19 points down on Nov. 9 and now pulling off an even more improbable come-from-behind victory on Friday.
Whereas Jalen Williams was still recovering from his wrist surgeries when that November meeting took place, the Thunder wing was in the lineup against the Grizzlies this time around.
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Williams led Oklahoma City with a season-high 26 points and his first double-double of the 2025-26 campaign. He collected 10 assists to go with his five rebounds and was one of three Thunder players to turn in 20-point games.
The others were second-year guard Ajay Mitchell and veteran wing Kenrich Williams. Mitchell poured in 23 points, and Williams chipped in 21 off the bench, in part thanks to his 3-of-7 shooting from beyond the arc.
Kenrich Williams hit a go-ahead 3 from the left wing to pull Oklahoma City ahead 115-114 with 1:07 remaining. The Thunder, who came into the night leading the NBA in defensive rating, put a bow on their head-turning win with two key stops.
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Lu Dort stole a pass from Grizzlies two-time All-Star forward Jaren Jackson Jr., who then immediately fouled Dort, leading to a pair of free Thunder free throws.
Memphis center Jock Landale turned an offensive rebound into a second-chance hook shot that made it a one-point game again.
Except on the Grizzlies’ final possession, Thunder guard Alex Caruso put the clamps on Grizzlies rookie Cedric Coward.
With no timeouts left, seemingly nowhere to go with the ball and the clock ticking after he had already picked up his dribble, last year’s No. 11 overall pick pivoted repeatedly before putting up a shot Caruso got a piece of.
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Jaren Jackson Jr. led the Grizzlies with 23 points. Cam Spencer delivered 11 assists. And GG Jackson added 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting off the bench.
Memphis, though, committed 17 turnovers and went close to three minutes of game time without a point late in the fourth quarter.
