This image is an AI-generated illustration rather than matchday photography
Sixteen meetings, sixteen wins. Whatever the Thunder started against the Grizzlies two seasons ago, they have not stopped: Mitchell's 35 points on 14-of-20 shooting turned a tight first quarter into a 31-point road victory.
A career night set up before halftime
Mitchell's line carried the night: 35 points on 14-of-20 shooting, four of seven from three-point range, five assists and a plus-33 rating in 30 minutes.
In the wider picture, Mitchell had been averaging 21.6 points across the five games before this one, and the Thunder's injury list has handed him a permanent share of the second-creator duties.
Oklahoma City was converting 69 per cent of its shots through the first half, including nine of 17 from three-point range, and it left the locker room 71-49 in front.
Gilgeous-Alexander contributed 28 on 11-of-22 shooting with four assists, three rebounds and a block after scoring 43 and 42 in Oklahoma City's two wins over Cleveland.
Jared McCain supplied 21 points from 9 of 14 and four steals, and the Thunder finished with 16 of 35 from three-point range at 46 per cent.
Twenty-two per cent from the league's best shooting team
Memphis came in first in the NBA from three-point range and shot 5 of 26 in the first half, ending 10 of 45. The gap between those two facts is roughly the score.
Oklahoma City forced 18 turnovers and turned them into 30 points, and Memphis recorded no blocks on a night it shot 29 of 88 from the floor.
Ty Jerome led the Grizzlies with 21 points and five of five from the free-throw line; Zach Edey added 14 points on 3 of 7 shooting with eight free throws and four offensive rebounds.
In the wider picture, this is now 16 consecutive wins against Memphis, a run that includes the four-game sweep in the first round of the 2025 playoffs.
The rookie big men had the night's starkest contrast: Boozer 2 of 14 from the field and Post 0 of 7, together 18 of the Grizzlies' 59 misses.
Seven and two, six and three
The Thunder improved to 7-2 and kept their home record intact at 4-0, while the Grizzlies dropped to 6-3 with a 2-3 mark at FedExForum.
Isaiah Hartenstein scored two points but delivered seven assists and finished plus-31, the highest rating on either side.
In the wider picture, Memphis was missing Isaiah Stewart and Scotty Pippen Jr., and with no blocks on the night it never had a chance to change a shot at either end. The Thunder scored 62 points in the paint.
Bennett Stirtz added 12 points on 4 of 5 shooting with two steals, and Alex Caruso finished with six rebounds and a plus-23 in 20 minutes off the bench.
Up next: the Thunder host the Washington Wizards on Saturday, and the Grizzlies travel to Toronto for Monday's fixture.
Editor's take: The Thunder won this by 31 without their starting centre, their best perimeter defender and their second frontcourt scorer on the floor.
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