Thunder and Grizzlies Clash in High-Stakes NBA Playoff Opener

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — The Oklahoma City Thunder will face the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the NBA playoffs on Sunday, April 20, 2025. The game is set to tip off at 1 p.m. ET at Paycom Center and will be broadcast live on ABC.

As the top-seeded team in the Western Conference, the Thunder enter the postseason with the best record at 68-14. Oklahoma City star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the league’s leading scorer and current MVP favorite, is determined to showcase the team’s prowess in the playoffs. “I think guys are as confident as they’ve ever been, as excited as they’ve ever been,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “That’s all you can ask for.”

The Thunder finished last year’s playoffs strong, sweeping the New Orleans Pelicans in the first round but then losing in six games to the Dallas Mavericks. In their latest campaign, they faced stiff challenges from various opponents but handled them with relative ease, evident in their four wins over the Grizzlies this season, winning by an average of 18.8 points.

Memphis, the No. 8 seed, comes into the matchup after a tumultuous journey. After starting the season with a promising record of 35-16, the team stumbled down the stretch, resulting in the firing of head coach Taylor Jenkins on March 28. The Grizzlies secured their playoff spot through the play-in tournament, defeating the Dallas Mavericks 120-106 after a painful loss to the Golden State Warriors.

Despite various struggles, Grizzlies standout Ja Morant is pushing through an ankle injury and aims to make his mark in the postseason. “I’ve learned not to doubt him too much,” said interim coach Tuomas Iisalo regarding Morant’s resilience. “He comes up with some stuff that I’m not sure there’s any other human being on the planet that they can do stuff like that.”

With both teams eyeing a deep playoff run, the Thunder are eager to prove their standings. “I don’t care if teams fear us,” Gilgeous-Alexander stated. “If we win games, I don’t care how much they fear us, like us. None of your feelings toward us matter.”

The Grizzlies remain optimistic, with Jaren Jackson Jr. commenting on the unpredictable nature of playoff series. “A series is a series,” he said. “You’ve got to stay level-headed. Whether you win a game or lose a game, it really doesn’t matter until it’s over.”

The Thunder and Grizzlies last met in the playoffs in 2014, with Oklahoma City prevailing in a dramatic seven-game series that featured four overtime contests. Historically, the Thunder have been dominant in their matchups against Memphis, winning nine consecutive games since 2022.

This playoff opener is set to be an exciting clash, with Oklahoma City looking to continue its recent dominance while Memphis aims to upset the odds and start their postseason run on a triumphant note.