OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Desmond Bane scored 21 points, and the Memphis Grizzlies fended off a late push by the Oklahoma City Thunder to earn a 125-118 win Sunday night.
Memphis trailed for a total of 25 seconds, behind the double-digit scoring efforts of Bane, Jaren Jackson Jr. (18), Ja Morant (17), Dillon Brooks (15), Brandon Clarke (12), Tyus Jones (12) and Ziaire Williams (11).
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 31 points and seven assists. Darius Bazley had a season-high 29 points to go along with 10 rebounds for Oklahoma City, which has lost six of its last seven games.
Memphis led 38-26 at the end of the first quarter, with former OKC player Steven Adams recording seven points and eight rebounds in nine minutes. He finished with 9 points and 16 rebounds.
The Thunder opened up the second quarter on a 7-0 run that Lindy Waters III capped off with a 3-pointer, but the Grizzlies led 61-54 at halftime.
Despite picking up his fourth foul with 6:11 left in the third, Gilgeous-Alexander stayed in the game and scored seven of his team’s next 12 points.
Memphis took a 95-79 lead heading into the fourth quarter, but Bazley scored 12 points to will Oklahoma City into contention. A 3-point shot by Theo Maledon trimmed the deficit to 121-115 with 25.5 seconds left in regulation, but the Grizzlies hung on.
TIP-INS
Grizzlies: Dillon Brooks returned to the starting lineup Sunday after missing Memphis’ last 27 games due to an ankle injury. He totaled 15 points and four assists in 26 minutes.
Thunder: After scoring a career-high 16 points against the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday, Waters tied it Sunday with 16 points in 30 minutes off the bench.
UP NEXT
Grizzlies: At Indiana on Tuesday night.
Thunder: Host Charlotte on Monday night.
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