Stiles Points: Fast OKC Thunder Start Could Bury Grizzlies In Game 2

The Thunder rolled over the Grizzlies in Game 1 of their first-round series to tip off the NBA Playoffs in historic fashion.

The Thunder’s 51-point victory is the largest Game 1 win in NBA history. Fitting that an Oklahoma City club that spent the entire regular season rewriting history.

As Oklahoma City landed a haymaker in Game 1, the Memphis Grizzlies looked shell-shocked. They outright quit on the floor. You can not lose by 51 points in the playoffs without just giving in to your opponent.

This is a Grizzlies team whose quotes and body language reveal they do not believe they can pull off a historic upset in Round 1, and they shouldn't. However, there is a difference between not believing and packing it in. On Sunday, the Grizzlies looked like they were ready for a trip to Cancun.

“I don't think there's a lot of pressure on us. I'm sure there's pressure on them. They're the huge favorites in this series, in this game," Grizzlies Head Coach Tuomas Iisalo said before Game 1. "They must get two wins here at home. So I think we're in a very good spot mentally.”

That brings the series to Game 2. Both sides have said the right things leading up to Tuesday's tip-off, but actions speak louder than words.

“[Expect Memphis'] best shot. We expect them [to be] better than they were yesterday. That’s the playoffs. One game doesn’t really matter. You got to come in consistently each game and stay focused,” Thunder Center Isaiah Hartenstein said at Monday's practice.

Oklahoma City has built its culture on a 0-0 mindset and the expectation for the Thunder is to put this big win on the back burner in order to parlay it into a commanding 2-0 series lead.

Despite their poor effort on Sunday, the Grizzlies are also giving the company lines ahead of Tuesday night.

"If we win Tuesday, the series is 1-1 and this game won't matter," Grizzlies Star Ja Morant explained when asked for a positive to take away from Game 1.

However, what happens when the lights turn on, the crowd is rocking and the stakes are real?

If Oklahoma City can jump all over Memphis in the first quarter, it would spell trouble for a Grizzlies team that is easy to deject.

On the flip side, Morant is right. At the end of the day, the only goal for an underdog in a seven-game series is to split the first two games and regroup at home. If somehow Memphis comes out in the opening frame and grows a lead and parlays it into a win, than it is a whole new series.

Is a requirement for the Thunder to have a good first quarter to be able to win this game or series? No. But, if they can land the first punch it will make it incredibly hard –– if not impossible –– for Memphis to get the car back on the road.

Song of the Day: Rocky Top by Buck Owens