Thunder aim for 2-0 against overmatched Grizzlies
Game Info: OKC vs. MEM (Thunder up 1-0 in series)
Tip-off: 6:30pm @ Paycom Center, Oklahoma City | Broadcast: TNT/Local
3⚡Big⚡Things⚡
Get primed and ready for the game and comment below, then follow @BrandonRahbar and @DailyThunder for live coverage.
⚡Pod Preview: Fresh Legs
Youth and relative inexperience are the two conventional factors working against OKC's title hopes, on paper. But after a season checkered with lengthy and isolated absences, the Thunder are fully healthy (only Nikola Topic and Ousmane Dieng are out for Game 2) and well rested. They won't have as massive an energy advantage against their remaining playoff opponents that they did against Memphis (still down Brandon Clarke and Jaylen Wells) in Game 1, but the Thunder's swarming, hustle-harder edge against older teams should be a consistent feature of the 2025 postseason.
⚡Ja Right?
Still recovering from an ankle sprain, Ja Morant looked uncharacteristically inept against the Thunder defense on Sunday. If his bounce and effectiveness returns, the Grizzlies' offense will have a better chance keeping the game, and series, competitive.
⚡Prediction: OKC 118 MEM 91
"Try harder" isn't gonna be enough for Memphis to close the gap against Oklahoma City. Not everything can go right for the Thunder each game, but anything short of a comfortable Game 2 win would be disappointing. OKC in 4.
