SGA, Thunder Amaze NBA Fans in 51-Point Win Over Ja Morant, Grizzlies in Game 1
From the outset of Sunday's Game 1 against the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the Western Conference Playoffs, the Oklahoma City Thunder showed why they finished with the best record in the NBA this season.
The Thunder put on a clinic on both sides of the ball in a nearly immaculate performance that ended with a 131-80 victory over the Grizzlies. Oklahoma City led by as many as 56 points in the game and shot 50.5 percent from the field while holding Memphis to 34.4 percent shooting. The 51-point win sets a new record for the largest margin of victory in Game 1 of a playoff series and a new franchise record for the largest playoff win.
What made Sunday's showcase even more impressive was that Thunder star and NBA MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was limited to just 15 points on 4-of-13 shooting, and the team didn't skip a beat. Five other players scored in double figures, with Jalen Williams leading the way with 20 points while Chet Holmgren added 19 points and 10 rebounds.
The Grizzlies struggled to get anything going against Oklahoma City's stingy defense. Star point guard Ja Morant had 17 points on 6-of-17 shooting. Marvin Bagley added 17 points off the bench on 8-of-8 shooting, the team's lone bright spot.
Fans on social media were blown away by Sunday's performance by the Thunder as they cruised to victory in Game 1:
Sunday's game was a statement victory for the Thunder, as they put the league on notice that, despite being the youngest team in the playoffs, they're the most dangerous.
Oklahoma City will look to keep the momentum rolling when the teams meet for Game 2 on Tuesday at 7:30 pm ET on TNT.
Thunder's Chet Holmgren Jokes About Viral Photo, 'Even I Thought This Was Me'
Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren had some fun with a viral photo of a man sitting on another man's shoulders.
"Even I thought this was me," Holmgren joked in a post on X.
The 22-year-old, who stands at 7'1" and weighs 208 pounds, is in the midst of his second season and third overall year with Oklahoma City.
Holmgren's frame makes him stand out while he's on the court, especially with his 7'5" wingspan.
It also allows him to make his presence felt on both ends of the floor, as he's averaging 2.3 blocks per game in his career. Holmgren has also proved himself as a capable long-range shooter, hitting 36.7 percent of his three-point attempts since the Thunder selected him with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft.
He's been limited to just 26 appearances this season due to a pelvic fracture, recording 14.8 points and 8.4 rebounds in 27.2 minutes per game on 49.3/35.5/72.0 shooting splits.
Holmgren will look to stay healthy as the playoffs draw closer, with Oklahoma City currently owning the best record in the NBA at 62-12.
NBA Playoff Picture 2025: Updated Bracket, Standings After Thunder Clinch Spot
The Oklahoma City Thunder clinched a playoff berth with a 118-112 win over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night at TD Garden.
Of course, the 54-11 Thunder, who hold an 11-game lead in the Western Conference over the second-place Denver Nuggets, are on track for much more.
OKC is cruising towards its second straight No. 1 seed and finds itself in a race for the NBA's best record alongside the Eastern Conference-leading Cleveland Cavaliers (55-10).
Until we find out who earns homecourt advantage throughout the entire playoffs, here's a look at the updated bracket and standings through March 12.
Western Conference Bracket
No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder (54-12) vs. No. 8 Seed (Determined By Play-in)
No. 2 Denver Nuggets (42-23) vs. No. 7 Seed (Determined By Play-in)
No. 3 Los Angeles Lakers (40-23) vs. No. 6 Golden State Warriors (37-28)
No. 4 Memphis Grizzlies (41-24) vs. No. 5 Houston Rockets (40-25)
Western Conference Standings
- Oklahoma City Thunder (54-12)
- Denver Nuggets (42-23)
- Los Angeles Lakers (40-23)
- Memphis Grizzlies (41-24)
- Houston Rockets (40-25)
- Golden State Warriors (37-28)
- Minnesota Timberwolves (37-29)
- Los Angeles Clippers (35-30)
- Sacramento Kings (33-31)
- Dallas Mavericks (33-33)
- Phoenix Suns (30-25)
- Portland Trail Blazers (28-38)
- San Antonio Spurs (26-37)
- New Orleans Pelicans (18-48)
- Utah Jazz (15-50)
Eastern Conference Bracket
No. 1 Cleveland Cavaliers (55-10) vs. No. 8 Seed (Determined By Play-in)
No. 2 Boston Celtics (47-19) vs. No. 7 Seed (Determined By Play-in)
No. 3 New York Knicks (41-23) vs. No. 6 Detroit Pistons (37-29)
No. 4 Milwaukee Bucks (36-28) vs. No. 5 Indiana Pacers (36-28)
Eastern Conference Standings
- Cleveland Cavaliers (55-10)
- Boston Celtics (47-19)
- New York Knicks (41-23)
- Milwaukee Bucks (36-28)
- Indiana Pacers (36-28)
- Detroit Pistons (37-29)
- Atlanta Hawks (31-34)
- Orlando Magic (30-36)
- Miami Heat (29-35)
- Chicago Bulls (27-38)
- Toronto Raptors (23-43)
- Brooklyn Nets (22-43)
- Philadelphia 76ers (22-43)
- Charlotte Hornets (16-48)
- Washington Wizards (13-51)
OKC started the season on fire with seven straight wins and never looked back. The Thunder have only had one losing streak all year, and it was a quick two-gamer in November immediately followed by 19 wins in 20 contests.
The catalyst for OKC's tremendous season is NBA MVP frontrunner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is averaging an NBA-high 32.7 points per game. The 26-year-old, one of the game's brightest stars, has now posted at least 30 PPG in each of his last three seasons. He's helped accelerate the Thunder's tremendous rebuild after the team started anew earlier this decade.
However, the Thunder's tremendous depth and offseason acquisitions have played a part as well. Forward Jalen Williams, a 23-year-old forward, earned his first All-Star Game bid, getting the job done in his third NBA season.
Big man Chet Holmgren missed 39 games with a hip fracture, but he's back and faring quite well. In his sixth game back, Holmgren dropped 22 points and 17 rebounds in a 129-121 win over the Brooklyn Nets.
Big man Isaiah Hartenstein has filled the void sans Holmgren and averaged a double-double. Steady veteran guard Alex Caruso has been as advertised, excelling on both ends and boosting a great second unit.
The team has benefitted from good three-point shooting (e.g. Isaiah Joe, Aaron Wiggins, Lu Dort) and tremendous defense (e.g. Cason Wallace). The Thunder notably have the NBA's top defense at No. 1 in efficiency, per Basketball-Reference.
All that leads to a legitimate NBA title contender that could very well give the franchise an NBA championship.
Windhorst: NBA Players 'Don't Respect' Thunder as Contenders in 2025 Playoff Bracket
Despite having a significant advantage in the race for the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder still have to prove to teams and players around the NBA they are a dangerous playoff squad.
Appearing on Wednesday's episode of First Take, ESPN's Brian Windhorst explained players around the NBA "don't respect" the Thunder as title contenders.
"I hear it implicitly from other people I talk to in the league. I hear it implicitly from players out there who are like, 'Yeah, yeah will be fine on the same side of the bracket as OKC.' They just don't respect them," Windhorst said.
It's not a surprise that people in the NBA feel this way. The league is often one of skepticism until a player and/or team actually gets over the hump.
If you think back a few years ago, there were analysts questioning whether the Denver Nuggets were good enough to win a championship with Nikola Jokić as their best player.
Jokić has since led the Nuggets to a title, is generally regarded as the best player in the NBA and analysts are once again talking about Denver as a championship contender despite being 11 games behind the Thunder in the standings.
Even last year when the Boston Celtics were steamrolling everyone in the regular season, their past failures in the playoffs led to questions about whether they could finish the job. They wound up having one of the most dominant playoff runs in NBA history to win a championship.
Some of the criticisms about the Thunder can be justified. They were the No. 1 seed in the West last season and lost in the conference semifinals in part because their lack of size made it difficult to score in the paint against a Dallas Mavericks team with Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford guarding the basket.
The Thunder attempted to address some of their size concerns in the offseason by signing Isaiah Hartenstein. They are also better this season than they were in 2023-24 because their best players are have improved.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is neck-and-neck with Jokić in the MVP race, leads the NBA in scoring average (32.7 points per game) on 52.5 percent shooting. Jalen Williams was a deserving All-Star selection this season who is averaging more than 20 points, five assists and five rebounds per game.
Chet Holmgren is being carefully managed after missing three months due to a fractured pelvis. His size and skill on both ends of the court could be a huge determining factor in how far the Thunder go in the playoffs.
If you just did a blind resume, the Thunder would tick all the boxes of a clear-cut title favorite. Their 12.6 net rating is on pace to be the second-best in NBA history. They have a superstar player at the top of their roster, a second All-Star behind him and a budding star in Chet Holmgren to carry the load.
Even with some warranted skepticism because winning a title is extremely hard, the Thunder have earned their status as the best team in the Western Conference going into the playoffs.
Report: SGA Set to Save Nearly $12M in Agent Fees on $293M Thunder Supermax Contract
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who reportedly parted ways with his representation for on-court matters, can save nearly $12 million in agent fees if he signs a four-year supermax extension with OKC worth $293 million this offseason, per Alex Schiffer of Front Office Sports.
"The NBPA caps agent fees for player contracts at 4%, which means Gilgeous-Alexander would keep nearly $12 million that would have gone to Wasserman if he signs the four-year, $293 million extension this summer," Schiffer wrote.
David Falk, who represented both Michael Jordan and Patrick Ewing, told Front Office Sports that Gilgeous-Alexander doesn't need an agent to do his next deal.
“If you’re LeBron, [Shai], Stephen Curry, a guy like that doesn’t need an agent to negotiate his contract,” Falk said. “I think Shai is terrific as one of the bright young stars in the league. To do his contract, he doesn’t need an agent. He’s going to get the max with his eyes closed.”
SGA is making a pretty safe bet on himself. The 26-year-old, who leads a 44-10 Thunder team tied with the Cleveland Cavaliers for the NBA's best record, is averaging an NBA-high 32.5 points as well as 6.1 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game. He's the top candidate for the NBA MVP award.
So he can save himself some money on his next deal. As for off-court matters, SGA is still retaining Simon Gebrelul of Isla Management, per senior NBA insider Chris Haynes, who initially broke the news.
So Gilgeous-Alexander most likely will get to work this summer serving as his own agent on a lucrative long-term extension. In the meantime, he and the Thunder are looking to start the second half on a positive note when they visit the Utah Jazz on Friday.
Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Parts Ways with NBA Agent, Will Represent Himself
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will be his own agent after reportedly parting ways with his representation at Wasserman, per senior NBA insider Chris Haynes.
Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown offered support for the superstar's decision:
The news drops as the 26-year-old SGA is potentially on a path toward his first-ever MVP season. The leader of the 44-10 Thunder is currently averaging an NBA-high 32.5 points alongside 6.1 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game.
Gilgeous-Alexander is on a five-year, $179,299,750 contract that runs through 2027.
However, NBA insider Marc Stein reported in January that SGA "is eligible for a four-year supermax extension this coming offseason worth nearly $300 million that would set him up for the first $80 million salary in NBA history in 2030-31."
One can surmise that both SGA and the Thunder are looking toward that deal, especially given how well he's performed this season. OKC is tied with the NBA's best record largely because of his efforts, and the Thunder should obviously do what they can to keep him around long-term.
It's rare for athletes to represent themselves, but it's happened on a high-profile stage before.
Of note, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson serves as his own agent (with his mother, Felicia Jones, serving as his manager) and negotiated a five-year, $260 million contract with $185 million guaranteed during the 2023 offseason.
Washington Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner, a six-time First Team All-Pro, has been his own agent since 2019 and negotiated his last four deals, per Monica Lewis of The Dig at Howard University (Wagner is notably an MBA student there as well).
So SGA is now going this route at a pivotal time for both himself and the team. Right now, though, the second half of the season is at hand as OKC looks to clinch the No. 1 seed and hope for a deep playoff run.
Chet Holmgren Talks 'Amazing' Return from Injury in Thunder's Win vs. Raptors
Chet Holmgren made a welcome return to the Oklahoma City Thunder lineup on Friday night.
The 22-year-old had four points, five rebounds, four blocks, two steals and an assist in 22 minutes as the Thunder cruised to a 121-109 victory over the Toronto Raptors.
It was Holmgren's first game since November after he suffered a pelvic fracture. Following the game, Holmgren expressed how happy he was to return and how he looks forward to further progress.
"It's amazing," Holmgren said, per ESPN. "I missed it for a long time, and I worked really hard to be able to get back out there. So I'm happy and excited and look forward to continue to try and help us win and keep improving."
Holmgren is in his second true season after he missed the 2022-23 season due to a foot injury. He averaged 16.5 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 2023-24, finishing second in the bid for Rookie of the Year, helping the Thunder earn the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.
He was averaging 16.4 points and 8.7 rebounds in 10 games prior to suffering the pelvic fracture and will hope to regain that form as he returns. Oklahoma City is currently 41-9 and has a 6.5-game lead for the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.
Video: Kendrick Perkins Calls Out Kevin Durant's Suns Leadership After Trade Deadline
ESPN analyst and former NBA center Kendrick Perkins brought up Kevin Durant's leadership abilities once again after the Phoenix Suns superstar called him out in a social media post.
"When I challenged KD to leadership, it's not because he's not the best player on the team," Perkins explained Friday on NBA Today. "I'm wondering why can't he bring the best out of those players, of what you've got right now, to try to make a late push."
Perkins, who was teammates with Durant on the Oklahoma City Thunder, previously expressed his belief that he was the one leading the Thunder instead of Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden.
The Suns star didn't take his claim seriously, calling it "the craziest s--t I've seen this week" in a Thursday social media post.
While Perkins' overall point regarding team leaders not necessarily being the highest-scoring players is certainly valid, Durant didn't seem to think that it applied to his own leadership style in Oklahoma City.
Perkins' latest comments also focus on the former MVP's current tenure in Phoenix. While Durant has averaged 26.9 points and 6.1 rebounds per game on 52.4/39.8/82.7 shooting splits, the Suns sit at No. 9 in the Western Conference standings with a 25-25 record.
Phoenix reportedly discussed moving Durant prior to Thursday's trade deadline, but a deal didn't materialize.
ESPN's Brian Windhorst revealed that the 36-year-old was "not happy" that the Suns put him into trade talks and it is now "reasonable to forecast that Durant will be breaking up" with Phoenix during the offseason.
As Durant's reported frustration with his trade involvement combined with the Suns' overall inconsistency continues, Perkins criticized his former teammate's leadership again.