NBA Game Of The Week: Thunder vs. Grizzlies

The best in the west will clash Saturday night in Memphis, as the top two seeds in the conference go head-to-head.

The Memphis Grizzlies come into this game winners of their last four. They’ll play host to an Oklahoma City Thunder team that will be in the second game of a back-to-back after facing the Toronto Raptors on Friday.

After a disappointing, injury-riddled 2023-24 campaign, the Grizzlies have looked similar to the team we saw two years ago. Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. have done heavy lifting offensively.

The duo have each scored 25 points or more in the team’s last two performances. Jackson has in fact scored at least 30 points in his last three games. Already widely regarded as a top defender in the game, Jackson has broken out offensively as of late.

His production has powered Memphis to score at least 120 points in every game during their current four game winning streak. Points have been at a premium for the Grizzlies this year as they average the most points per game in league at 123.8.

This will be the first game post-deadline for Memphis. The team stayed relatively quiet this year only trading Marcus Smart along with a pick to the Washington Wizards. The move will help the Grizzlies open cap space moving forward, but in terms of additions, nothing notable was done.

The Thunder made no major moves themselves at the deadline, but there was big news coming out of Oklahoma City earlier this week. Center Chet Holmgren has been reactivated and looks to play vs. the Raptors on Friday.

Holmgren has been injured since November, missing 39 games. Last season, he averaged 16.5 points per game and just under eight rebounds. These numbers earned Holmgren runner up in Rookie of the Year.

Again, while the Thunder didn’t trade for anyone special this deadline, getting a player like Holmgren back from injury is as big as any acquisition for Oklahoma City.

The Thunder will enter this game allowing the fewest points per game as a defense in the league. If anybody can stop the Grizzlies’ hot offense, it would have to be Oklahoma City.

In general, the Thunder have been the best team in basketball this year. They have the best winning percentage and are comfortably atop the west. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the league’s leading scorer, averaging 32.8 points per game.

To many, he’ll be the favorite to win MVP honors if he can continue to produce like he has. The Thunder have become a well-oiled machine with Gilgeous-Alexander running the show.

This will only be the second time these two squads have met this season. Their first matchup was on December 29, where Oklahoma City won in blowout fashion 130-106. In that game Ja Morant did not play.

Gilgeous-Alexander led the game in scoring with 35 points, and Desmond Bane followed with 22 for Memphis. Unfortunately for Memphis, Bane has been nursing a sprained ankle. He won’t suit up Friday against Toronto, missing his third straight game,

All signs are pointing to Bane likely not playing against Oklahoma City either. The Grizzlies will most likely be without one of their top perimeter scorers.

No matter what happens on Saturday, the Thunder will remain as the number one seed, and Memphis the two. However, the top two seeds playing each other doesn’t happen often and this could be a potential preview of a future playoff matchup.

Alex Harkins is a second-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email arh6278@psu.edu.