The Oklahoma City Thunder pulled off the largest second-half comeback in NBA playoff history on Thursday night, erasing a 29-point deficit to stun the Memphis Grizzlies 114-108 in Game 3 of their Western Conference first-round series. The dramatic win puts the Thunder up 3-0 and just one game away from a sweep.
The game turned after Grizzlies star guard Ja Morant exited late in the second quarter with a hip contusion following a hard fall during a fast break. Morant, who had 15 points and five assists in just 15 minutes, went down after being fouled by Thunder guard Luguentz Dort. He missed both ensuing free throws and immediately headed to the locker room. The team later confirmed the injury, and Morant was seen returning to the bench on crutches.
Grizzlies interim head coach Tuomas Iisalo said Morant would undergo further evaluations on Friday and did not confirm his availability for Game 4 on Saturday. Memphis briefly extended their lead to 29 points after Morant’s departure, but from there, the momentum swung decisively in Oklahoma City’s favor.
Trailing by 26 at halftime, the Thunder roared back behind MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who led all scorers with 31 points and added eight assists, four rebounds, a steal, and a block. Speaking after the game, Gilgeous-Alexander said: “They built a 29-point lead in a half, so we felt like all we had to do was build our own 29-point lead.”
The Thunder came out of the locker room with renewed intensity, outscoring Memphis 67-35 in the second half. Head coach Mark Daigneault credited the turnaround to his team rediscovering their identity. “We were very out of character in the first half,” he said. “Out of halftime, we kind of reconnected to who we are.”
Chet Holmgren was a force after the break, scoring 23 of his 24 points in the second half. He also praised his coach for reigniting the team’s energy: “Mark changed the trajectory of the game,” Holmgren told ESPN. “He trusted me despite my rough first half. Once I saw one go in, I felt good.”
Jalen Williams also continued his breakout season with a stellar all-around performance, contributing 26 points, six rebounds, and five assists.
In Morant’s absence, Scotty Pippen Jr. stepped up with a team-high 28 points for the Grizzlies, while Jaren Jackson Jr. added 22.
With Oklahoma City now firmly in control of the series, the Grizzlies face an uphill battle—especially if Morant is unavailable for Game 4.
