The Oklahoma City Thunder made a statement in their first playoff appearance of the 2025 NBA postseason, dismantling the Memphis Grizzlies 131-80 in Game 1 of their first-round Western Conference series. This emphatic 51-point win not only gave them a 1-0 lead in the series but also etched their performance into the history books, ranking as the fifth-largest margin of victory in NBA playoff history. It also became the most lopsided Game 1 result ever recorded.
While the Thunder’s offensive firepower was on full display, the night highlighted their collective identity—balanced scoring, suffocating defense, and a deep, unselfish roster. Despite their leading scorer, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, posting a relatively quiet 15 points, Oklahoma City thrived with five players scoring in double figures and efficient shooting across the board
Aaron Wiggins led the scoring charge with 21 points, followed closely by Jalen Williams with 20. Rookie big man Chet Holmgren added a dominant performance of his own, contributing 19 points and 10 rebounds. Oklahoma City shot 50.5% from the field as a team, showcasing the offensive cohesion that had earned them a league-best 68-14 record during the regular season.
Speaking after the game, Gilgeous-Alexander emphasized that this performance was no anomaly. “We played to our identity,” he stated. “Nothing more, nothing less than that. We were who we were all year … and it’s going to be the key to our success, just staying true to who we are.”
That identity was one that the Thunder carefully crafted following their playoff exit to the Dallas Mavericks in last year’s Western Conference semifinals. Since then, Gilgeous-Alexander has been vocal about improving not just individually but ensuring his teammates were fully ready for this year’s postseason test. That preparation was evident in the way the Thunder came out aggressive and locked in.
“I have a great group of guys around me, and I know that,” said Gilgeous-Alexander. “And I’ve known that for a long time. … They obviously played amazing.”
While Oklahoma City’s win was eye-popping, it still trailed behind a few other historic blowouts in postseason lore. The all-time largest playoff margin remains 58 points, achieved twice—once by the Denver Nuggets in a 121-63 dismantling of the New Orleans Hornets in 2009, and previously by the Minneapolis Lakers, who routed the St. Louis Hawks 133-75 in 1956. The Los Angeles Lakers also had a 56-point win over Golden State in 1973, and the Chicago Bulls beat Milwaukee by 54 points in 2015.
Still, Sunday’s dominant performance firmly cemented Oklahoma City’s place among the most lopsided postseason victories.
On the other end of the court, the Memphis Grizzlies had one of their worst performances of the season, and arguably in their playoff history. Despite having Ja Morant back in the lineup, Memphis struggled to find rhythm, intensity, or efficiency. Morant finished with 17 points but shot just 6-for-17 from the field, while Jaren Jackson Jr.—the team’s second-leading scorer during the regular season—could only muster four points on a woeful 2-for-13 shooting night.
As a team, the Grizzlies shot just 34.4% from the floor and looked overwhelmed by the Thunder’s relentless defense and fast-paced offensive execution.
Memphis found themselves on the back foot early. After staying within range in the first quarter, they were blitzed by a 20-0 Thunder run in the second, which ballooned the deficit to 33 points at 55-22. By halftime, the Thunder led by 35, and the Grizzlies never mounted a serious comeback in the second half.
“I just felt like after that, the energy just kind of wasn’t there and we were just trying to talk to ourselves to get back into the game,” Morant admitted postgame. His visible frustration mirrored the team’s performance, as Memphis struggled with both execution and body language from that point forward.
This game also marked the first playoff appearance for Memphis under interim head coach Tuomas Iisalo, who took over near the end of the season. Iisalo only had nine regular-season games under his belt before guiding the Grizzlies through the play-in tournament and into the playoffs. Despite the loss, he tried to keep perspective.
“If you’re in a playoff series, it’s a best of seven,” Iisalo said. “It doesn’t matter if you win by one point on a buzzer-beater or you win by 50 points, you get one win. So luckily for us, there’s only one way from this and that’s up. And we will analyze it and learn from it. And then we will fix those things that hurt us.”
While the message was one of learning and growth, Memphis faces a steep challenge ahead. They must regroup quickly, both mentally and physically, if they want to avoid falling behind 2-0 in the series.
On the Oklahoma City side, head coach Mark Daigneault praised his team for staying focused and aggressive but cautioned against expecting another blowout in Game 2.
“They played 36 hours ago and had an emotional game, had to turn around and play at noon today, which is a really tough turnaround,” Daigneault said of Memphis, who advanced to the playoffs through the play-in round. “So they’re going to be better Tuesday. So I thought we did a good job. But I don’t think we can expect that from them [again]. You know they’re going to play a lot better than that.”
Indeed, the Thunder’s dominance on Sunday came not just from a great game plan and execution, but also from capitalizing on a weary and disjointed opponent. Still, the takeaway from Game 1 is clear: the Thunder are for real, and they aren’t just happy to be in the playoffs—they’re here to make a deep run.
Next Steps
With Game 2 set for Tuesday, the Grizzlies will need to regroup, refine their strategy, and find a way to contain Oklahoma City’s balanced offense while rediscovering their own rhythm. Ja Morant will be central to any comeback hopes, but Memphis will also need key contributors like Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane to step up.
For Oklahoma City, the challenge will be maintaining focus. Blowouts can sometimes lead to complacency, and Daigneault knows his team must keep its foot on the gas while anticipating a stronger fight from Memphis in the next matchup.
In a series where many expected competitiveness, the Thunder have already turned heads with their dominant Game 1 performance. Whether it becomes a trend or a one-off will depend on how both teams respond in Game 2.
