Grizzlies Coach Somehow Manages to Put Positive Spin on 51-Point Game 1 Loss

Ryan Phillips | Apr 20, 2025

Memphis Grizzlies head coach Tuomas Lisalo looks on as his team suffers a 51-point defeat to the Oklahoma City Thunder during Game 1 of the first round of the NBA playoffs. / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

The Memphis Grizzlies suffered a brutal defeat in Game 1 against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday in the first round of the NBA playoffs. At least they're trying to put a good spin on it.

The Thunder walloped Memphis 131-80, which was the largest margin of victory in a Game 1 in NBA history. Star Ja Morant had his take after the game, saying, "We will never play that bad again." Statistically speaking, he's probably right.

During his postgame presser, Grizzlies head coach Tuomas Iisalo did his best to find positives from the afternoon's shellacking. I'm honestly impressed with what he came up with.

"There's an old saying that a playoff series doesn't start before there's a road win," Iisalo said. "You're expected to defend your home court. We'll be better in the next game."

When asked what positives he could take away from the game that encouraged him, Iisalo echoed Morant.

"Well I think there's a few things. First one, it's very hard to play worse than this," he said.

He then pointed to the play of Marvin Bagley III, who had 17 points, five rebounds, two steals and a block in 16 minutes off the bench. Bagley also made all eight field goals he attempted. While that is an encouraging performance, Bagley was still minus-11 on the day.

Tuomas Iisalo with an admission that things cannot get much worse:#GrindCity pic.twitter.com/nr6P6vdKbu

— Dodson (@DoingItDodson) April 20, 2025

You've got to give Iisalo credit for owning how awful the game was yet being upbeat about the series moving forward.

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