Oklahoma City Thunder began their playoff journey with a landmark performance. On Sunday, the Thunder dismantled the Memphis Grizzlies 131-80 in Game 1 of their Western Conference series. The 51-point thrashing stands as the fifth-largest victory margin in NBA postseason history and is unprecedented for an opening game of a series.
“Our energy was high,” commented Thunder coach Mark Daigneault. “The players deserve credit for their preparation over the past week. It was a demanding period given the hiatus from competitive play that can disrupt game rhythm.”
A staggering 51-point differential crowned a day of impressive statistics for OKC. Here are some standout moments:
The Thunder’s 51-point blowout could have challenged the record books for the largest playoff win margin, which currently sits at two separate 58-point games: Denver’s 121-63 victory over New Orleans on April 27, 2009, and Minneapolis’ 133-75 triumph over St. Louis on March 19, 1956. There have also been significant victories by the Los Angeles Lakers over Golden State by 56 points on April 21, 1973, and Chicago Bulls over Milwaukee Bucks by 54 points on April 30, 2015.
Oklahoma City managed to build up a lead as large as 56 points, marking the biggest lead in a playoff game since Denver’s 58-point lead against New Orleans in the 2009 matchup. The Thunder’s dominance was evident as they held leads of 127-71 and 129-73, although Memphis scored seven of the final nine points, saving themselves from suffering the worst playoff defeat on record.
Far from being slowed by their week-long hiatus, the Thunder, who claimed 68 victories this season and set a record with a 12.9 point differential per game, got off to a scorching start. They rapidly extended their advantage to a 35-point lead in the first half, a record-setting margin for any Game 1 first half the NBA has recorded since 1996-97. Twice, OKC held 35-point leads at 61-26 and 63-28. They ended the half with a remarkable 68-36 advantage, representing the largest halftime lead in their franchise’s playoff history and the most significant halftime deficit Memphis has faced in postseason play.
Notably, only two NBA playoff games since 1997 have featured a greater first-half disparity than 35 points, both involving the Cleveland Cavaliers with LeBron James. On May 19, 2017, during the Eastern Conference finals, the Cavs led at Boston by 41 points twice (70-29 and 72-31) in Game 2. Additionally, they were ahead of Atlanta by 38 points (74-36) in Game 2 of the East semifinals on May 4, 2016.
Intriguingly, the Thunder’s MVP contender, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, contributed modestly with just 15 points. Yet, the team’s overall performance elicited praise from Daigneault, who was pleased with the collective effort.
While this was a significant win for OKC, it doesn’t eclipse the most lopsided game in their history against Memphis. On December 2, 2021, the Grizzlies handed the Thunder a severe 152-79 defeat, the most comprehensive margin in NBA records.