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The Oklahoma City Thunder made short work of the Memphis Grizzlies, sweeping them in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. Granted, Ja Morant missed most of Game 3 and all of Game 4 with an injury, but regardless, the Thunder were expected to blow them out.
Now that the series is over, some Grizzlies players have suggested that, had Morant been healthy, Memphis could have upset the best team in the league.
Morant himself made that bold claim, and now he's being backed up by his teammates.
Apr 26, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Scotty Pippen Jr. (1) drives to the basket as Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) defends during the first quarter during game four for the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs at FedExForum.© Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
With Morant out, Scotty Pippen Jr. scored 28 and 30 points, respectively, in the last two games. Despite his massive showing, he thinks the Grizzlies needed a star to compete.
"I think we all felt pretty well," said Pippen Jr. "You know, we were winning at home. Obviously, in the playoffs, I feel like home court have been one of the biggest things. And OKC, obviously, we had a 50-point loss that was crazy. But second game, we came and got better. Third game, we were up. Ja goes down. And then even the fourth game, we still competed. So it could go either way, I feel like, if he doesn't go out."
Had the Grizzlies snuck out of Game 3 with a win, it's safe to say that the Thunder would have kicked things into a new gear. While on paper the Grizzlies were one of the most solid eight seeds in recent memory, the reality is that this Thunder team will compete for a championship.
Check out the Inside the Thunder homepage for more news, analysis, and must-read articles.
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Now that the series is over, some Grizzlies players have suggested that, had Morant been healthy, Memphis could have upset the best team in the league.
Morant himself made that bold claim, and now he's being backed up by his teammates.
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Apr 26, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Scotty Pippen Jr. (1) drives to the basket as Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) defends during the first quarter during game four for the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs at FedExForum.© Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
With Morant out, Scotty Pippen Jr. scored 28 and 30 points, respectively, in the last two games. Despite his massive showing, he thinks the Grizzlies needed a star to compete.
"I think we all felt pretty well," said Pippen Jr. "You know, we were winning at home. Obviously, in the playoffs, I feel like home court have been one of the biggest things. And OKC, obviously, we had a 50-point loss that was crazy. But second game, we came and got better. Third game, we were up. Ja goes down. And then even the fourth game, we still competed. So it could go either way, I feel like, if he doesn't go out."
Had the Grizzlies snuck out of Game 3 with a win, it's safe to say that the Thunder would have kicked things into a new gear. While on paper the Grizzlies were one of the most solid eight seeds in recent memory, the reality is that this Thunder team will compete for a championship.
Check out the Inside the Thunder homepage for more news, analysis, and must-read articles.
Related: Oklahoma City Thunder Somehow Overlooked in Trade Speculation for NBA Star
Related: OKC Thunder Star Reveals Team's Mindset After First-Round Sweep
Related: OKC Thunder Star Reveals Team's Mindset After First-Round Sweep
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