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Thunder continue comeback ways with win vs Grizzlies
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The Oklahoma City Thunder followed up Isaiah Hartenstein's career night with what was nearly a 20-point comeback against the Memphis Grizzlies . The Thunder erased a 19-point deficit before holding its opponent to 38 points in the second half of a 114-100 win, finishing its four-game road trip, 3-1. Oklahoma City improved to the league's best 10-1 record.
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Sunday's 19-point comeback win is the Thunder's fourth-largest since 2022. Gilgeous-Alexander extended his streak of 30+ points to seven straight, tenth in 11 outings, with 35 points on 11-of-22 attempts, including 10-for-11 free-throw attempts, and 3-for-9 from deep. He also finished with seven rebounds, six assists, and two blocks.
Ajay Mitchell scored 21 points, which is his fourth 20+ point performance this season, and so did Chet Holmgren , which is his third 20+ point performance in seven appearances. And Hartenstein recorded his third consecutive double-double (18 points, 13 rebounds), which is his seventh on the season.
The Thunder, including last year's first-round 4-0 playoff sweep, has now defeated the Grizzlies 14 times in a row. While Oklahoma City has dominated Memphis over the past few years, extending its head-to-head streak, doing it while missing two starters — Jalen Williams and Lu Dort — in the final game of a four-game road trip against the Grizzlies is an impressive feat.
The Thunder will take Monday off before hosting a back-to-back against the Golden State Warriors and the Los Angeles Lakers at the Paycom Center, starting on Tuesday.
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Thunder guards step up amid 10-1 start as defending champions
Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell continues to impress in season 2 of his young NBA career. Lu Dort missed his third consecutive game due to an upper back injury, thus giving the Thunder's second-round pick his third straight start, as Mitchell is getting things done at a high level on both ends of the floor.
Giving the Thunder lineup a second facilitator in the backcourt, Mitchell plays well off of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and defends at a high level, as he continues to stuff the stat sheets. Twelve games into his second season with the Thunder, Mitchell is averaging 16.8 points, 4.1 assists, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per game.
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Cason Wallace continues to earn his stay, starting in the frontcourt amid Jalen Williams' absence. He leads the NBA in steals (2.6) per game. Wallace also averages 9.6 points on 45.6% shooting, including 42.5% from deep, and 3.8 rebounds. At the same time, Isaiah Joe hit the ground running after missing the first seven games of the regular season.
Joe is averaging 16.6 points on 48.2% shooting, including 44.4% from deep and 4.0 rebounds, as the Thunder's guards, led by the NBA's reigning MVP, scoring champ, and league-leading scorer — Gilgeous-Alexander — with 32.7 points per game, could not have asked for a better start to the 2025-26 campaign as defending champions.
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