OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA – APRIL 20: Zach Edey #14 of the Memphis Grizzlies rebounds around Isaiah Hartenstein #55 of the Oklahoma City Thunder in the third quarter during Game One of the Western Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center on April 20, 2025 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by William Purnell/Getty Images)
The NBA Western Conference's playoff odds are so tight relative to the Eastern Conference's playoff odds, it's almost as if the fourth quarters of conference quarterfinals get less entertaining as one moves across time zones from west to east. Those looking for wide underdogs and upset predictions have to look eastward. Memphis, at least, is a Southeastern basketball club, placed in the Western bracket due to the NBA's East-coast majority ... and the Grizzlies have an all-too-Eastern style of betting line today.
Oklahoma City is a prohibitive (-1050) bet to clobber Memphis again in Game 2 of the West's #1 versus #8 quarterfinal, set to tip off in Paycom Center at 7:30 p.m. EST tonight. The OKC Thunder destroyed the Memphis Grizzlies 131-80 in the most lopsided Game 1 on either side of the NBA's 2024-25 playoff bracket, a 131-80 farce that went to halftime with OKC leading 68-36. The Thunder scored a fantastic 112 points in the first 36:00, and set a new margin-of-victory record for Game 1 of any series.
Can Memphis recover from its nightmare defeat? More importantly, is there anything the Grizzlies can do to produce a more competitive vibe in Game 2, or is OKC poised to produce a four-game sweep?
Spread
- Thunder -14 (-115)
- Grizzlies +14.5 (-105)
Moneyline
- Thunder -1000
- Grizzlies +700
Total
- Over 228.5 (-110)
- Under 229 (-115)
*The above data was collected on April 22, 2025, and may have changed since writing.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs Memphis Grizzlies Betting Trends
- Oklahoma City is 5-0 ATS in the last five games.
- The total has gone under in nine of Oklahoma City's last 11 games against Memphis.
- Oklahoma City is 8-0 in the last eight games at home against Memphis.
- The total has gone over in four of Memphis' last six games.
- Memphis is 0-5-1 ATS in its last six games.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs Memphis Grizzlies Injury Reports
Oklahoma City Thunder
- None.
Memphis Grizzlies
- Small forward Gregory Jackson is day-to-day for personal reasons.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs Memphis Grizzlies Predictions and Picks
Memphis may be saved from another embarrassing score by the fact that #1-seeded OKC does not need four 50-point wins to advance. Coaches will be tempted to rest the Thunder's starting lineup if the Grizzlies don't put up a fight tonight.
The Grizzlies are still confident enough to blame subtle mistakes for Oklahoma City's rain of buckets. "Defensive assignments, coverages, and spacing," writes Darmichael Cole of Memphis Commercial Appeal, going on to quote Memphis forward Marvin Bagley III: "If we fix those things, I think there will be a different outcome."
A "different outcome" could still mean Oklahoma City winning by 20 points. OKC emptied its bench in Game 1 and still couldn't stop blowing out Memphis, making the Thunder a solid pick to cover 10-to-15 point spreads until proven otherwise.
