Memphis lost 128-97 to a Thunder team missing six players, its third straight defeat. At 6-3 and seventh in the West, the Grizzlies have no cushion left.
What decided the Thunder game?
Four Oklahoma City runs did it: 11-0 in the first quarter, 13-0 before halftime, 12-0 to open the third and 10-0 in the fourth. The second one made it 71-46. The Grizzlies took two timeouts to answer runs and the lead never got inside 20 after that. The game had only two lead changes, and Memphis' biggest lead was 6.
Who was hurt most by the night?
Cameron Boozer takes a D. He grabbed 12 rebounds and 4 assists, but went 2-for-14 with 0-for-8 from three and finished minus-30 in 31 minutes. Jaylen Wells was the worst on the floor at minus-31 in 25 minutes. Javon Small was minus-25. Ajay Mitchell, meanwhile, scored 35 on 14-for-20 and finished plus-33.
Which Grizzlies earned a passing grade?
Ty Jerome gets a B: 21 points on 7-for-14, a perfect 5-for-5 at the line, 5 assists and 3 turnovers. Zach Edey gets a B-plus for 14 points, 8-for-8 at the line and 6 rebounds in 20 minutes. Cedric Coward gets a C: 9 rebounds, but 4 turnovers. By our count, Jerome is 6 points from 2,500 career, about one game away at his current pace.
What does a 31-point loss do to the West race?
Memphis is 6-3, seventh, with a streak of L 3. Sixth-place Minnesota is 7-3, so the Grizzlies sit 0.5 games back. They are level with tenth-place Dallas and two games ahead of 11th. The pace still projects to 55-27. Three days off before Monday at Toronto help, and Isaiah Stewart and Scotty Pippen Jr. carry estimated return dates of November 9.
Why did the Grizzlies lose to the Thunder?
Oklahoma City ran off 11-0, 13-0, 12-0 and 10-0 stretches and won 128-97. Boozer shot 2-for-14, and Mitchell scored 35 for the Thunder.
When do the Grizzlies play next?
Memphis plays at Toronto on November 9, then hosts Denver on November 11. Stewart and Pippen Jr. are listed with estimated returns of November 9.
