Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC Thunder roll past Ja Morant, Grizzlies to end road trip

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Thunder had been talking about it, putting itself under the microscope long before anyone else.

Since the mid-February All-Star break, its historic defense had taken a mortal dip. The team knew. It discussed it in team meetings, at halftime during games. Its standard was within arm’s reach. It finally reached past those lulls on Wednesday night.

“We’ve been talking about it,” guard Lu Dort said of the recent struggles following Oklahoma City’s 120-103 over the Grizzlies. “All-Star break was a break. Everybody felt good about themselves. Went out, got some time off, and it just happened like that (where) it took us a couple games to get the car back on the road.

“Tonight was a good one. We know it’s standard. It was brought up in every meeting that we had.”

Entering Wednesday night, the Thunder had a 117.1 defensive rating since the break, the 21st best defense in the NBA in that span — a far cry from a defense that previously performed like one of the most disruptive and dominant units ever.

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“Some of it was shooting variance,” coach Mark Daigneault said. “I mean, these other teams were banging shots in in an uncharacteristic way in terms of what we would expect. But I didn’t think our energy level in juice was quite to the level that it’s been for much of the season. And I thought we returned to that tonight.”

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Memphis never scored more than 30 points in a quarter. It scored just 48 points in the second half. Ja Morant and Desmond Bane combined for 39 points on 36 shots. Morant had five turnovers.

The Grizzlies, sans Jaren Jackson Jr., made just nine of their 34 3-point attempts (26.5%), making just 40.7% of their shots.

OKC snapped out of its post-break daze at the tail end of one of its most taxing stretches in recent memory.

“That’s as tough a stretch as we’ve had from a travel and condensed games (standpoint),” Daigneault said. “It’s as tough a stretch as we’ve had in a couple years. And so for us to amp it up like that, from an effort standpoint on the defensive end tonight was impressive.”

Bodies collided, contact was initiated and OKC held its ground. Morant hurled his way through the air early, much to coach Taylor Jenkins’ disappointment when those drives didn’ receive calls.

Before being whistled for an early tech, Jenkins demonstratively expressed his frustration for the way the Thunder was defending Morant, seemingly playing out of a game of charades with official Phenizee Ransom.

“We are a physical team,” Dort said. “If we foul, the ref is going to call it. And if the ref doesn’t call it, it’s not a foul. That’s the only thing I can say. On the other side, Shai gets fouled a lot, and it’s clearly foul.”

Dort, despite making just 1 of his 7 shots, lived up to his namesake: In 34 minutes, he was a plus-35, by far the best mark on the team.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, fresh off of a 51-point performance versus Houston, finished with 41 points and dropped back into his free safety position. Down Chet Holmgren, backup center Jaylin Williams recovered to spots and even added a couple blocks. Isaiah Hartenstein added 15 rebounds, the most he’s corralled since Feb. 1 versus Sacramento.

Unlike the teams the Thunder has played since the break, there was no run to threaten overtime or even force OKC to sit up late. Just the kill switch, toggled by the Thunder with a 16-2 run in the fourth.

For weeks, that switch had been lying around somewhere. It just had to retrieve it, stuffed somewhere in those cozy All-Star break cushions.

‘Steady as rock’ in Williams’ minutes

The trust it takes a scorer of Gilgeous-Alexander’s caliber to give away possession is enormous. The temptation he battles as one of the few men on Earth can will their way to any spot they choose is vast.

But he does indeed choose to give the ball to his teammates. Fairly often, actually. Among his choices, among those he’s been most adamant with about shooting off his passes, is Jaylin Williams.

“Every time this season that I’ve passed up on an open shot, I’ve heard an earful from Shai,” Williams said. “Telling me ‘shoot the ball, stop passing up on 3s,’ if he’s gonna pass it to me I better shoot it. When you have one of the best players in the world telling you to shoot those shots and having the confidence in you to make those shots, it’s hard not to have confidence in yourself.”

Williams, in 19 minutes Wednesday, delivered 13 points and four rebounds, drilling all four of his 3-point attempts. One of those, with Memphis working to limit OKC’s windows on drive-and-kick attempts — while SGA was also face guarded by Grizzlies rookie Jaylen Wells — came without any dip from Williams; he caught it at his chest and released it from there the same way.

That was all the time he had. But Williams, just like in that moment, was timely Wednesday.

“Guys in my position — not take it for granted, but you’ll never understand how hard that is to not have security,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “And every night I know I’m gonna play 35 minutes, I’m gonna shoot 20 shots no matter what. To not have that and still be steady as rock is special, and we’re lucky to have a guy like that.”

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Thunder vs. Grizzlies live score updates

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Final: Thunder 120, Grizzlies 103 | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC maintain cushy lead atop NBA standings with 51st win

Thunder with a 120-103 win in Memphis, the fewest points the team has allowed since the ASB. Ja Morant and Desmond Bane combined for 39 points on 36 shots. Morant had five turnovers. 41 for Shai.

What time is Thunder vs Grizzlies NBA game tonight?

Date: Wednesday, March 5
Time: 8:30 p.m. CT
Where: FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn.

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What channel is Thunder vs Grizzlies on tonight?

TV: ESPN, FanDuel Sports Network
How to watch online: Fubo (free trial)
Radio: WWLS 98.1FM

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Thunder vs. Grizzlies betting odds

Odds courtesy of via BetMGM as of Wednesday, March 5

Odds: Thunder by 7.5

Over/under: 252.5

Moneyline: OKC -300 | Memphis +240

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Thunder vs. Grizzlies prediction, picks

Justin Martinez: OKC 124, Memphis 117

Memphis ranks first in the NBA in drives per game (61). But OKC should be able to cut off lanes with perimeter defenders such as Lu Dort, Cason Wallace and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the mix. And even though Holmgren is out, the Thunder still has Isaiah Hartenstein to protect the paint. Ja Morant, the engine to Memphis’ offense, is also listed as questionable, so the safe bet is to pick OKC on the road.

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OKC Thunder roster

*-two-way contract

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Thunder vs. Bulls highlights

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