Apr 24, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) spins toward the basket during the second quarter during game three for the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images After showing they can win either ahead of the pack or well off the pace, the Oklahoma City will be out to sweep their first-round Western Conference playoff series on the road against the Memphis Grizzlies when Game 4 takes place Saturday.
With Grizzlies star guard Ja Morant not available in the second half of Game 3 due to injury, the Thunder roared back to place themselves one victory away from the second round.
Oklahoma City rallied from a 29-point first-half deficit to seize a 114-108 road victory Thursday and a 3-0 series advantage. The Thunder didn’t lead Game 3 until 1:20 to go when Jalen Williams sank a free throw.
As Oklahoma City appears poised to complete the sweep, Memphis likely will be without Morant, who came away with a hip contusion injury in the closing minutes of the first half Thursday. He hobbled off the court following a hard fall to the floor and did not return.
The Thunder outscored Memphis 63-31 in the second half and completed the largest comeback of the franchise’s Oklahoma City era. Memphis did not score in the final 4:51 of the game and managed only 13 points in the final quarter.
“I don’t really know how to process that,” Grizzlies forward Santi Aldama said. “It’s going to take a lot of time.”
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, a leading candidate for NBA Most Valuable Player honors, led Oklahoma City with 31 points. Williams scored 26 and Chet Holmgren provided the biggest spark. Holmgren scored 23 of his 24 points in the second half, including five 3-pointers.
Playing at home after being overwhelmed by 51 points in Game 1 and 19 points in Game 2, the Grizzlies were a different team from the outset of Game 3. They built a double-digit lead in the opening quarter behind Scotty Pippen Jr., who finished with 28 points.
In the second quarter, the Memphis advantage soared to 28 points shortly before Morant was undercut by Lu Dort on a fastbreak dunk attempt.
In the second half, the Thunder began their comeback on the strength of Holmgren’s accuracy beyond the arc. He made four of his five 3-pointers in the third quarter, when Oklahoma City outscored Memphis 36-18. The Thunder’s emphatic finishing kick included scoring the game’s final nine points.
Despite the huge first-half deficit, the Thunder never lost faith.
“In the moment, it (stinks),” Williams said. “It’s not something you want to make a habit of, but we also have extreme confidence in how we can play to turn the tide. We were able to do that.”
The only larger comeback in NBA playoff history was the Los Angeles Clippers’ victory over the Golden State Warriors in a 2019 first-round game after falling behind by 31. Gilgeous-Alexander was a rookie guard for the Clippers that season.
“I completely forgot about that so it didn’t cross my mind, but that is crazy,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “If they could build it, we could erase it. That’s how we see it. That’s what we did.”
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said the team recovered by “reconnecting in the second half.”
Holmgren said it was a matter of trust and “being who we’ve been all year” during a 68-win regular-season.
“What we’ve worked on all year is our best option to go to,” Holmgren said. “That’s playing together and trusting that the next man is going to make the right play whether it’s on offense or defense. When you make that extra pass, you trust that person is going to make the shot, make the right read on the drive, make the extra pass themselves.”
–Field Level Media
This news was originally published on this post .
About the author
Buffalo Bills Day 3 mock draft: Trading up for a falling value, targeting special teams
The first two days of the 2025 NFL Draft have concluded, and the Bills held true to their promise by using all three of their early picks on defense. The trio of cornerback Maxwell Hairston, defensive tackle T.J. Sanders and edge rusher Landon Jackson all have the potential to turn into starting players for the Bills over time.AdvertisementBut with the first two days done, it’s time to shift into the depth of the draft and the third day. Saturday will hold the final four rounds, with the Bills holding seven picks at Nos. 132, 169, 170, 173, 177, 206 and 240.And if there’s one thing the Bills have been able to do well over the years in the NFL draft, it’s finding some Day Three gems who turn into down-the-line starters. Since general manager Brandon Beane’s first Bills draft in […]
In Trey Amos, Commanders again get a player atop their board on Day 2 of NFL Draft
ASHBURN, Va. — Forget whether fans approve of the Washington Commanders’ second-round selection. Drafting former Ole Miss cornerback Trey Amos 61st overall had members of the organization’s research and development department roaring with delight.“I don’t know if you guys could hear,” general manager Adam Peters said to local media members moments later, “but our R&D department was probably the loudest.”AdvertisementThe approval wasn’t a display of Ole Miss fandom. Amos, a physical 6-foot-1 press cornerback with 13 credited pass deflections last season, was the data analyst’s top-rated player entering Day 2 of the NFL Draft. They weren’t the only ones in the building who were ecstatic about adding the former Louisiana and Alabama transfer who faced Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels in college.Peters shared that the 2024 first-team All-SEC defender was in consideration with the Commanders’ first-round selection, 29th overall, before landing […]
49ers add beef — and ferocity — to middle of their defense on Day 2 of NFL Draft
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Five of the last seven tailbacks the San Francisco 49ers faced in 2024 ran for more than 100 yards and the team gave up 24 rushing touchdowns on the season, tied for the second most in the NFL.Those dubious statistics seemed to be on the 49ers’ mind on Friday as they focused on bolstering the middle of their defense, beginning with a 332-pound defensive tackle early in the second round and finishing with a 181-pound nickel cornerback late in the third.AdvertisementKyle Shanahan admitted last month’s free-agency period, one in which the team lost eight 2024 starters — “more than we ever (lost) before,” he said — had him nervous about filling those holes in the draft. He said he was feeling a lot better about his roster by the end of the day Friday.“I told John […]
How the Bengals altered their process to — perhaps — finally fix the OL drafting problem
CINCINNATI — Bengals offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher doesn’t go on many pro day visits. He traveled to Ohio State and Georgia this year with new offensive line coach Scott Peters alongside him every step of the way.They arrived in Athens, Georgia, with a target on UGA guard Dylan Fairchild and his teammate, Tate Ratledge.AdvertisementWhen Peters started working with Fairchild, and both locked arms, something special happened.“That’s really where it felt like a connection,” Fairchild said.Fairchild, a country-strong, 315-pounder from rural Georgia, started wrestling when he was 6 years old. It defined his transition to football and his becoming a two-year starter at left guard for the Bulldogs. Then there’s Peters, in his first season with Cincinnati, with a background in jujutsu and no stranger to the weight room, himself looking to test Fairchild’s technical skill and power.“I could feel my […]
Why the Browns passed on Shedeur Sanders again on Day 2, drafted Dillon Gabriel
Ralph Vacchiano NFL Reporter <!--> --> For most of the first two nights of the NFL Draft, the biggest surprise was the fact that Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders was not selected.But then, late in the third round, the Cleveland Browns found a way to top that.When they made their selection with the 90th overall pick on Friday night — their fifth pick of the first two days — they didn’t just pass on Sanders again. They passed on him in favor of a quarterback almost nobody thought would go in the first three rounds. Cleveland took Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel, a 24-year-old who stands just 5-foot-11 and was a six-year starter at three different schools.Nobody, anywhere, thought he had a shot of getting drafted ahead of Sanders. By this point, Sanders was already having a miserable draft experience. But the […]
In drafting Mason Taylor, Jets transform his father from longtime foe into biggest fan
For years, Jason Taylor mocked the Jets and their fans. It was hard to blame him — he was a Miami Dolphin lifer, a rival. He tormented the Jets during the prime of a Hall of Fame career, and he relished it. In 2004, he called their fans “ignorant.” In 2007, he said they “suck.” In 2009, he called Giants fans “classy” — and Jets fans, not so much. He even joked that he’d rather retire than play for the Jets. But then he did become a Jet.AdvertisementIn 2010, he signed with the Jets, a franchise on the rise under Rex Ryan’s guidance. They’d moved to their new facility in Florham Park a couple years earlier, and Taylor’s locker was in the back corner. He hung out there a lot, happy to chat with anyone — media, teammates, staffers — […]
Related
Buffalo Bills Day 3 mock draft: Trading up for a falling value, targeting special teams
The first two days of the 2025 NFL Draft have concluded, and the Bills held true to their promise by using all three of their early picks on defense. The trio of cornerback Maxwell Hairston, defensive tackle T.J. Sanders and edge rusher Landon Jackson all have the potential to turn into starting players for the Bills over time.AdvertisementBut with the first two days done, it’s time to shift into the depth of the draft and the third day. Saturday will hold the final four rounds, with the Bills holding seven picks at Nos. 132, 169, 170, 173, 177, 206 and 240.And if there’s one thing the Bills have been able to do well over the years in the NFL draft, it’s finding some Day Three gems who turn into down-the-line starters. Since general manager Brandon Beane’s first Bills draft in […]
In Trey Amos, Commanders again get a player atop their board on Day 2 of NFL Draft
ASHBURN, Va. — Forget whether fans approve of the Washington Commanders’ second-round selection. Drafting former Ole Miss cornerback Trey Amos 61st overall had members of the organization’s research and development department roaring with delight.“I don’t know if you guys could hear,” general manager Adam Peters said to local media members moments later, “but our R&D department was probably the loudest.”AdvertisementThe approval wasn’t a display of Ole Miss fandom. Amos, a physical 6-foot-1 press cornerback with 13 credited pass deflections last season, was the data analyst’s top-rated player entering Day 2 of the NFL Draft. They weren’t the only ones in the building who were ecstatic about adding the former Louisiana and Alabama transfer who faced Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels in college.Peters shared that the 2024 first-team All-SEC defender was in consideration with the Commanders’ first-round selection, 29th overall, before landing […]
49ers add beef — and ferocity — to middle of their defense on Day 2 of NFL Draft
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Five of the last seven tailbacks the San Francisco 49ers faced in 2024 ran for more than 100 yards and the team gave up 24 rushing touchdowns on the season, tied for the second most in the NFL.Those dubious statistics seemed to be on the 49ers’ mind on Friday as they focused on bolstering the middle of their defense, beginning with a 332-pound defensive tackle early in the second round and finishing with a 181-pound nickel cornerback late in the third.AdvertisementKyle Shanahan admitted last month’s free-agency period, one in which the team lost eight 2024 starters — “more than we ever (lost) before,” he said — had him nervous about filling those holes in the draft. He said he was feeling a lot better about his roster by the end of the day Friday.“I told John […]
How the Bengals altered their process to — perhaps — finally fix the OL drafting problem
CINCINNATI — Bengals offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher doesn’t go on many pro day visits. He traveled to Ohio State and Georgia this year with new offensive line coach Scott Peters alongside him every step of the way.They arrived in Athens, Georgia, with a target on UGA guard Dylan Fairchild and his teammate, Tate Ratledge.AdvertisementWhen Peters started working with Fairchild, and both locked arms, something special happened.“That’s really where it felt like a connection,” Fairchild said.Fairchild, a country-strong, 315-pounder from rural Georgia, started wrestling when he was 6 years old. It defined his transition to football and his becoming a two-year starter at left guard for the Bulldogs. Then there’s Peters, in his first season with Cincinnati, with a background in jujutsu and no stranger to the weight room, himself looking to test Fairchild’s technical skill and power.“I could feel my […]
Why the Browns passed on Shedeur Sanders again on Day 2, drafted Dillon Gabriel
Ralph Vacchiano NFL Reporter <!--> --> For most of the first two nights of the NFL Draft, the biggest surprise was the fact that Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders was not selected.But then, late in the third round, the Cleveland Browns found a way to top that.When they made their selection with the 90th overall pick on Friday night — their fifth pick of the first two days — they didn’t just pass on Sanders again. They passed on him in favor of a quarterback almost nobody thought would go in the first three rounds. Cleveland took Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel, a 24-year-old who stands just 5-foot-11 and was a six-year starter at three different schools.Nobody, anywhere, thought he had a shot of getting drafted ahead of Sanders. By this point, Sanders was already having a miserable draft experience. But the […]
In drafting Mason Taylor, Jets transform his father from longtime foe into biggest fan
For years, Jason Taylor mocked the Jets and their fans. It was hard to blame him — he was a Miami Dolphin lifer, a rival. He tormented the Jets during the prime of a Hall of Fame career, and he relished it. In 2004, he called their fans “ignorant.” In 2007, he said they “suck.” In 2009, he called Giants fans “classy” — and Jets fans, not so much. He even joked that he’d rather retire than play for the Jets. But then he did become a Jet.AdvertisementIn 2010, he signed with the Jets, a franchise on the rise under Rex Ryan’s guidance. They’d moved to their new facility in Florham Park a couple years earlier, and Taylor’s locker was in the back corner. He hung out there a lot, happy to chat with anyone — media, teammates, staffers — […]
Be the first to leave a comment