Fourth Quarter Push Leads OKC Thunder to Blowout win Over Memphis

The Oklahoma City Thunder rallied and gritted out a 125-104 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies, keeping alive an impressive winning streak. With the victory, they also earned the most in team history in a single season.

Until around the five-minute mark of the fourth quarter, the Thunder and Memphis Grizzlies were stuck together like glue. That changed when OKC's star entered the game, turning the tide in favor of the Thunder.

Gilgeous-Alexander showed out to help earn the victory, finishing the game with 37 points, three rebounds and six assists on 15-for-25 shooting. He was the lone double-digit scorer for the Thunder for most of the game

If you were looking for a high-scoring affair, the first quarter between these two squads checked that box. 12 points from Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder to 32 opening points, while 12 from Memphis guard Scottie Pippen Jr. and six from forward Santi Aldama gave the Grizzlies a one-point edge.

These two teams had faced each other three times prior to this battle, so it was clear that they knew each other's play styles. This allowed for minimal separation on the scoreboard through the first half and presented the back half of the game to be entertaining.

No team managed to pull away for most of the game, but that didn't stop the teams from having offensive success. Memphis found itself at the free throw line frequently, going 15-for-15 in the first half. They ended up going 22-for-23 by the end of the game, gaining easy points in bunches.

Oklahoma City got the services of Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace back, both of whom were returning from injuries. Both played well and made positive impacts on the game, with Williams going for 20 points and Wallace 10. However, they clearly still weren't completely adjusted to game speed, with both combining for six turnovers.

In usual Thunder fashion, they pulled away as the second half moved along. Within two minutes of its start, they led 71-59. It was another group effort that pushed them ahead, with their bench continuing to find ways to give them leads.

As that quarter progressed, it was clear that Gilgeous-Alexander would have to take the game into his hands if they wanted to win significantly. Memphis shut down that early run with a variety of scorers, narrowing the score quicker than they expanded it.

While it was Gilgeous-Alexander who did the bulk of the scoring for the Thunder, Memphis came at the game with a more well-rounded approach. Pippen finished with 17 points and Aldama with 10, adding great depth scoring. Star forward Jaren Jackson Jr. finished with 27 points on 9-for-21 shooting, struggling to score efficiently and rebound the ball, as well. He finished with only two rebounds, averaging 5.6 on the season.

The opening part of the fourth quarter was truly ugly and neither team could efficiently put the ball in the hoop. After sitting for five minutes, Gilgeous-Alexander re-entered the game, which provided a boost on both sides of the court to cure that ugliness. His late-game presence led to an important Thunder win, especially when they were stalled for half of the quarter.

OKC's defense was a large part of the late-game struggle for the Grizzlies and the offensive push for the Thunder, forcing multiple turnovers and challenging, contested shots.

With the victory, OKC improved to 61-12 on the season with only nine games left to play in the regular season. They hit the court next against the Indiana Pacers to continue a homestand, tipping off at 7:00 p.m. CT on Saturday, March 29.