Thunder rally to knock off Grizzlies

[March 15, 2021]  Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 30 points to help the short-handed Oklahoma City Thunder to a 128-122 win over the visiting Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday.

The Thunder scored 38 fourth-quarter points to wipe out a deficit and win for the third time in four games.

The Grizzlies led by 12 early in the fourth quarter before the Thunder made 9 of 10 shots during a 27-8 run to jump ahead by seven.

Five different Thunder players combined for six 3-pointers during the stretch, with Darius Miller hitting a pair.

Oklahoma City outscored Memphis by 16 in the fourth quarter, shooting 12-for-17 (70.6 percent) from the floor and 7 of 10 from behind the arc. The Thunder held the Grizzlies to 22 fourth-quarter points after Memphis had scored at least 31 in each of the first three quarters.

The Thunder also outrebounded the Grizzlies 16-6 in the fourth.

Oklahoma City shot a season-high 57.5 percent from the field, and 51.6 percent from behind the 3-point line, also a season high.

Memphis shot 57.1 percent from the floor through three quarters but was just 7-for-22 (31.8 percent) in the fourth.

Gilgeous-Alexander, who has scored at least 30 points in three consecutive games, was 8-for-17 from the floor with four 3-pointers in six attempts.

Aleksej Pokusevski added a career-high 23 points and 10 rebounds for his first career double-double.

Five other Thunder players scored in double figures, including Kenrich Williams' 17 on 7-of-8 shooting.

The Thunder had just nine players available, with Luguentz Dort (left toe sprain), Theo Maledon (right ankle sprain), Darius Bazley (left shoulder contusion) and Al Horford (rest) all out.

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) shoots the ball while defended by Oklahoma City Thunder center Moses Brown (9) during the first quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports

Gilgeous-Alexander missed Saturday's loss to New York with a quad contusion, but he helped a group of starters that had mostly been little-used all year pull off the win against the Grizzlies.

The four Oklahoma City players who started alongside Gilgeous-Alexander had started a combined five games all season before Sunday, with center Moses Brown (13 points) and guard Ty Jerome (12 points) making their first career starts.

Ja Morant led Memphis with 22 points, but he was just 2 of 7 from the floor in the fourth after hitting 5 of 8 attempts through three quarters.

The Grizzlies have dropped two consecutive games and three of their last four.

--Field Level Media
 

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