Ja Morant Makes Bold Promise Ahead of Game 2

The Oklahoma City Thunder Thrashed the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 1 of the NBA Playoffs. Grizzlies Superstar Ja Morant promises a different outcome for Game 2.

Apr 20, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) walks off the court during the second half of a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

The Memphis Grizzlies got shellacked on Sunday inside the Paycom Center.

It was a recipe for disaster from the word go for the Grizzlies. The team had just played on Friday night and roughly 36 hours later were tipping off Round 1 of the NBA Playoffs in a hostile enviorment against the best team in basketball.

Mix in 22 turnovers, getting out rebounded, being held to 34% shooting from the floor, 17% shooting from 3 point land and losing the battle in transition, dropping second chance points and being dominated in the paint and you get the worst loss in franchise history hung on you, 131-80.

Desmond Bane was a historically bad -51, Zach Edey was unplayable, Jaren Jackson Jr. was invisible and Ja Morant had no answers for the Thunder's harrassing defense.

It was a forgettable day for the Beale Street Ballers and leaves a bad taste in everyone's mouth for how competitive the rest of the series will be.

The reality? It was just one game. In the race to four wins, the Thunder still need three. Regardless of the margin of victory, there are not style points for blowout bouts. Morant and the Grizzlies know that.

"We'll never play that bad again," Morant said when asked what he tells his locker room after a lopsided game such as this one.

The Grizzlies star is right, it seems impossible to play any worse than Memphis did on Sunday.

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

Once again, score one for Morant. The road team in a series is only trying to steal one of the first two games to set themselves up for an upset, ripping back away home court advantage.