OKLAHOMA CITY — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 27 points, and the Western Conference’s top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder dominated the eighth-seeded Memphis Grizzlies 118-99 on Tuesday night to take a 2-0 lead in their first-round series in the NBA playoffs
Oklahoma City delivered a strong follow-up to its record-setting 131-80 win Sunday in the opener to the best-of-seven series. Though the Grizzlies were the team with something to prove in Game 2, the Thunder came out with the energy. Oklahoma City opened with a 9-0 run and held Memphis scoreless for the first 3 1/2 minutes as the Grizzlies missed their first 10 shots.
The Thunder led 32-17 at the end of the first quarter and never trailed.
“We never underestimate our opponent, no matter what,” said Gilgeous-Alexander, a former prep standout for Chattanooga’s Hamilton Heights Christian Academy whose status as one of the three finalists for NBA MVP was announced by the league Sunday.
“Obviously they’re a very good team. They wouldn’t be here if they weren’t. And we just wanted to make an emphasis to come out and win that first quarter, set the tone for the night.”