Reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 13 of his 35 points in the third quarter as the Thunder surged to the lead then held on to continue their mastery of the Grizzlies, who they swept in the first round of the playoffs last season.
Gilgeous-Alexander added seven rebounds, six assists and two steals and Chet Holmgren and Ajay Mitchell added 21 points each for OKC.
“We know in this league so many variables are thrown at you on a nightly basis,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “You’ve just got to figure out what the task is that night and get it done.
“We’ve done that on multiple occasions in the past couple of years. We built that muscle pretty well and it showed.”
Jaren Jackson Jr led the Grizzlies with 17 points and seven rebounds. Ja Morant added 11 points, three rebounds and eight assists.
In another game, the Houston Rockets, led by 31 points from two-time champion Kevin Durant, rallied late in Milwaukee to beat the Bucks 122-115.
Alperen Sengun added 23 points and 11 rebounds and Jabari Smith Jr and Reed Sheppard scored 16 apiece for the Rockets, who bounced back from a Friday loss to San Antonio that ended their five-game winning streak.
Elsewhere, Boston forward Jaylen Brown scored 27 points and Anfernee Simons added 25 off the bench as the Celtics held off the Magic 111-107 in Orlando, avenging a loss on Friday in NBA Cup play.
In New York, the Knicks pushed their perfect home record to 6-0 with a 134-98 blowout of the one-win Brooklyn Nets. (AFP)
