The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 117-115, achieving a four-game sweep and advancing to the Western Conference semifinals. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 38 points while Jalen Williams added 23 points. The Thunder, having the best NBA record of 68-14, will face either the Denver Nuggets or the Los Angeles Clippers in the next round.

“I didn’t feel like my mindset was any different,” Gilgeous-Alexander remarked. “Every night I step on the floor to be the best version of myself. I hadn’t been in the past (games), but tonight I was pretty close to it. I think because I kept the same mindset, it allowed me to just play free.”

The Grizzlies were without star guard Ja Morant, who injured his hip, contributing to their defeat. Thunder coach Mark Daigneault praised the Grizzlies’ resilience despite their loss. Scotty Pippen Jr. matched his career high with 30 points for Memphis, while Desmond Bane and Santi Aldama each scored 23 points.

In a nail-biting finish, the Thunder had to fend off a late Grizzlies rally, where a last-second three-pointer from Bane narrowed the score to 116-114. Despite trading leads throughout the game, Oklahoma City’s strong performance in the fourth quarter ultimately secured their victory.

“We could have been a little bit tighter when we built the lead (to 11 in the fourth quarter),” Daigneault acknowledged. “I thought we got a little bit loose on defensive possessions.”

Overall, it was a thrilling game, not just for the Thunder but for basketball fans as a whole.