LOS ANGELES: The NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder erased a 19-point first-half deficit to beat the Memphis Grizzlies 114-100 on Sunday and improve their league-best record to 10-1.
Reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 13 of his 35 points in the third quarter as the Thunder surged to the lead then held on to continue their mastery of the Grizzlies, who they swept in the first round of the playoffs last season.
Gilgeous-Alexander added seven rebounds, six assists and two steals and Chet Holmgren and Ajay Mitchell added 21 points each for OKC.
“We know in this league so many variables are thrown at you on a nightly basis,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “You’ve just got to figure out what the task is that night and get it done.
“We’ve done that on multiple occasions in the past couple of years. We built that muscle pretty well and it showed.”
Jaren Jackson Jr. led the Grizzlies with 17 points and seven rebounds. Ja Morant added 11 points, three rebounds and eight assists.
The Grizzlies were up 33-25 after the first quarter. They led by as many as 19 on the way to a 62-51 halftime advantage.
But the Thunder stormed back after the break, out-scoring the Grizzlies 34-18 in the third quarter to seize an 85-80 lead heading into the final frame.
The Grizzlies tied it twice in the fourth, but Mitchell drove for a layup that put Oklahoma City up for good with 8:05 remaining and Gilgeous-Alexander delivered a pair of three-pointers and a three-point play in a nine-point outburst as the Thunder pulled away.
“My shot wasn’t falling throughout the whole night, that didn’t deter me,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “I just stuck with it. Made a few just in time for the W.”
The Houston Rockets, led by 31
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