Desmond Bane scored 22 points in his return to the court, but the Oklahoma City Thunder (47-20) beat the Memphis Grizzlies (23-45) 118-112 at FedExForum. The Thunder swept the season series 4-0 in their fourth and final game and only trip to Memphis this season.
Bane shot 4 of 9 from 3-point range and added seven assists in his first appearance since missing 29 games with a sprained left ankle. Jaren Jackson Jr. recorded 19 points and a career-high seven assists, and G.G. Jackson II scored 19 points and four assists in his career. Santi Aldama collected 16 points while Luc Kennard added nine career assists to contribute to the Grizzlies’ 34 assists on 37 made field goals.
Jalen Williams paced the Thunder with 23 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Chet Holmgren posted his 20th double-double of the season with 22 points and 11 rebounds. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 20 points and seven rebounds.
The Thunder led 56-54 at intermission and opened the second half with a 7-0 run to take a double-digit lead. Oklahoma took a 13-point lead to start the fourth quarter, but the Grizzlies went on an 8-0 run to cut the deficit to five. Memphis pulled within four over the final seven seconds, but couldn’t get any closer after the Thunder hit four straight free throws to earn the victory.
The Grizzlies embark on a four-game road trip beginning with a visit to Sacramento to face the Kings on Monday, March 18 at 9 p.m. CT at Golden 1 Center. The game will be broadcast on Bally Sports Southeast and 92.9 FM ESPN.
