Thunder at Grizzlies
THE STORY: The Oklahoma City Thunder seeks the franchise’s first 3-0 start in eight years when they visit the Memphis Grizzlies in a rematch of last season’s highly competitive second-round playoff series. The Thunder last started 3-0 when the franchise was located in Seattle and are in position to do so again after season-opening victories over Orlando and Minnesota. Memphis lost its opener to the San Antonio Spurs, the opponent the Grizzlies famously upset in last year’s first round of the playoffs to start a magical playoff run that ended in seven games against Oklahoma City. The Thunder won Game 7 105-90 behind Kevin Durant’s 39 points and Durant has tallied 63 in Oklahoma City’s first two games this season. The Grizzlies committed 24 turnovers and received only 10 points from playoff hero Zach Randolph in the season-opening loss to the Spurs. Memphis won three of the four regular-season meetings against Oklahoma City last season.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FS Oklahoma City (Oklahoma City), SportSouth (Memphis)
ABOUT THE THUNDER (2-0): Anytime Durant scores 30 points in a game, Oklahoma City figures it will celebrate a victory. Durant had 30-point outings in the first two games this season and the Thunder went 24-5 last season when he had 30 or more points. A 30-point outing against the Grizzlies would make Durant the first player since Carmelo Anthony (2009-10) to start a season with three consecutive 30-point outings. Durant is also vying for his third consecutive scoring title.
ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (0-1): Forward Rudy Gay had a superb outing against San Antonio on Monday in his first game in 10-plus months because of a shoulder injury that required surgery. Gay had 19 points and 10 rebounds and the double-double garnered attention since he had only four in 54 games last season. Gay averaged 19.8 points last season and gives Memphis the high-powered scoring option it had to do without during its impressive playoff run.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. Memphis is 5-1 in its last six home games against Oklahoma City with the lone defeat being a triple-overtime loss in last season’s playoffs.
2. Oklahoma City made 29 of 31 free throws in Monday’s victory over Minnesota.
3. Randolph had three 30-point outings and five double-doubles in last season’s playoff series against the Thunder.