A whole lot of drama is following the Memphis Grizzlies. First head coach fired, then holding on to the leaderboard despite a poor 4-6 record in the last 1o games. They looked anything but perfect. But things looked good when they came fresh off their Play-In victory to take the eighth seed in the West. Oh well, the Dallas Mavericks were an easy side to play against. But the Oklahoma City Thunder? Nope! Not a chance. Now, as Game 1 of their 7-game playoff series kicks off, one thing’s crystal clear: Ja Morant and his crew? Well, they might be in way over their heads.

At the end of game 1, the OKC Thunder are 131-80, leading the series 1-0 as new coach Tuomas Iisalo witnessed his team crumble to one of the NBA playoffs’ worst losses. Yes, the Grizzlies are gasping for breath, begging for their dear, dear lives at the Paycom Center. This match could end up with one of the biggest deficits in the NBA’s history. Meanwhile, broadcasters, too, are adding to Ja Morant’s miseries with ruthless comments.

“This series has begun. Somebody should notify the Grizzlies,” Dave Pasch blurted out on ESPN. Well, he’s not wrong, though! Playing on Easter, the holiday vibes might have gotten the better of the Grizzlies. It is most unlikely for them to play such a sloppy game. From the opening tip, Memphis looked more like guests at a Sunday brunch than competitors in a playoff battle, allowing the Thunder by 32 points in the first half itself.

Turnovers piled up like discarded candy wrappers, and their defense, usually a hallmark of their identity, seemed to vanish like an Easter egg nobody could find. The Thunder, on the other hand, played with the energy of a team that knew exactly what was at stake. OKC’s young core swarmed on defense, exposing every lapse Memphis offered. It isn’t just a loss, but a wake-up call. Because if the Grizzlies don’t snap out of their Easter slumber soon, this series might be over before they even realize it started.

While Morant is chipping in at double digits, the rest of the squad? Disaster. On the other hand, Isaiah Hartenstein, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, Aaron Wiggins, and Luguentz Dort all hit double digits in points while running the show for OKC. Simply put, the starting five of the Thunder is destroying the starting 5 of Memphis. But don’t you think this game smells of revenge?

Paycom Center reeks of redemption as Ja Morant & Co. struggle to survive

Forget the final whistle, the Oklahoma City Thunder leads the show from the start, extending the lead in every quarter. There is no barrier ahead, and there seems to be no prospect of Ja Morant‘s side making a grand comeback. Only if miracles truly exist! Meanwhile, Aaron Wiggins and Jalen Williams led the score for the Thunder with 21 and 20 points, respectively. Meanwhile, Morant struggled to touch even 17.

With a jaw-dropping 32-point lead at halftime, the Thunder just stamped their name in the record books for the largest first-half margin in their playoff history. But here’s the twist—while OKC dished out the punishment this time, it was the Grizzlies who once handed them the worst beating in NBA history: a wild 73-point blowout in a 152-79 win back on December 2, 2021. Talk about tables turning!

So here we are. The Thunder are dancing, the Grizzlies are drowning, and the Paycom Center is absolutely loving it. From being on the wrong end of a 73-point humiliation to flipping the script in style, OKC is out for sweet, sweet revenge. Meanwhile, Ja Morant and his crew are left wondering if they showed up for the wrong game. The tables haven’t just turned—they’ve spun right out of control.