Thunder Gameday: OKC Heads to Memphis to Face Surging Grizzlies

After being blown out by 73 points against the Memphis Grizzlies earlier this month, the Oklahoma City Thunder will have a chance at redemption on Monday night. With a roster that's now healthy, the Thunder will look to not only make this matchup more competitive, but also pull out a win.
Coming off of an impressive victory over the LA Clippers, Oklahoma City has momentum entering this contest.
ODDS:
The Thunder enter the day as 8.5-point underdogs to the Grizzlies, and the total over/under is 211.5 points.
KEYS TO THE GAME:
Although they've been without Ja Morant for the past few weeks, the Grizzlies have been spectacular. One of the hottest teams in the league, they're one of the four best teams in the Western Conference at this point.
The top rebounding team in the NBA, Memphis pulls down 47.1 boards per game. With the Thunder being an undersized team, this will be key in Monday's matchup.
Dillon Brooks has proven to be an explosive scorer for the Grizzlies this season, producing 18.6 points per game. If the Thunder are able to slow him down, there's a good chance they'll have success in this game.
Regardless, Oklahoma City will have the best player on the floor Monday night in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who just hit a game-winning shot over the weekend to earn the Thunder their ninth win of the season. Additionally, Lu Dort and Josh Giddey will play key roles in this contest as they look to outperform a talented Memphis backcourt rotation.
RECORDS:
Oklahoma City Thunder (9-19) vs. Memphis Grizzlies (19-12)
WHEN:
Monday, December 20, 2021 at 7:00 PM CT
LOCATION:
FedExForum, Memphis, TN
TV/RADIO:
Bally Sports Oklahoma, NBA League Pass, 98.1 FM The Sports Animal
FINAL WORD:
This game will likely mean more to the Thunder considering the circumstances. After being blown out by 73 points last time they matched up with the Grizzlies, it's all about making a statement.
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Nick has spent the last four seasons covering the Oklahoma City Thunder and has grown quickly in the media since starting. He’s continued to produce Thunder content through writing for Forbes.com and podcasting with The Uncontested Podcast, as well as branching out to cover the NBA as a whole for SLAM Online.
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