Current NBA Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander posted 13 of his total 35 points in the third quarter as the Thunder rallied to take the lead, then maintained it to extend their dominance over the Grizzlies, whom they swept in last season’s first playoff round.
Gilgeous-Alexander also contributed seven rebounds, six assists, and two steals, while Chet Holmgren and Ajay Mitchell each added 21 points for OKC.
"In this league, so many challenges come at you every night," Gilgeous-Alexander remarked.
"You just have to identify the task at hand each game and execute it.
"We’ve done that several times over the past couple of years. We’ve built that resilience well, and it showed tonight."
Jaren Jackson Jr. led Memphis with 17 points and seven rebounds. Ja Morant added 11 points, three rebounds, and eight assists.
The Grizzlies led 33-25 after the first quarter and extended their lead to as much as 19 points, holding a 62-51 advantage at halftime.
However, the Thunder responded strongly after the break, outscoring Memphis 34-18 in the third quarter to take an 85-80 lead entering the final period.
Memphis tied the game twice in the fourth quarter, but Mitchell’s layup with 8:05 left put Oklahoma City ahead for good, followed by Gilgeous-Alexander’s two three-pointers and a three-point play during a nine-point surge that sealed the win.
"My shot wasn’t falling all night, but that didn’t stop me," Gilgeous-Alexander said.
"I stayed persistent and made some shots just in time to secure the victory."
The Houston Rockets, fueled by 31 points from two-time champion Kevin Durant, rallied late in Milwaukee to defeat the Bucks 122-115.
Alperen Sengun contributed 23 points and 11 rebounds, while Jabari Smith Jr. and Reed Sheppard each scored 16 points for Houston, who bounced back from a Friday loss to San Antonio that ended their five-game winning streak.
The Bucks led most of the game until Smith, assisted by Durant, hit a three-pointer to put the Rockets ahead 113-111 with 2:28 remaining.
Bucks guard Ryan Rollins answered with a driving layup to tie the game, but Durant’s pull-up jumper regained the lead for Houston, followed by Sengun’s turnaround hook and driving basket that resulted in a three-point play as the Rockets pulled away.
Durant shot efficiently, making 11 of 15 attempts and dishing out seven assists, as Houston outscored Milwaukee 22-7 in the final four and a half minutes.
"We held strong through the tough moments," Durant said. "It was an excellent finish for our team."
Giannis Antetokounmpo, coming off a 41-point game in the Bucks’ win over the Bulls on Friday, scored 37 points.
However, he missed a layup and four out of six free throws in the final 90 seconds.
In New York, the Knicks extended their perfect home record to 6-0 with a dominant 134-98 victory over the one-win Brooklyn Nets.
Detroit's Cade Cunningham scored 26 points and provided 11 assists to lead the Pistons to their sixth consecutive win, a 111-107 triumph over the 76ers in Philadelphia.
Cunningham recorded his sixth double-double this season, overcoming a slow start by scoring 24 points in the second half as Detroit came back from a 13-point deficit.
Tyrese Maxey led Philadelphia with 33 points, who were without Joel Embiid on the second night of a back-to-back.
In San Francisco, Jimmy Butler added 21 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists for the Golden State Warriors, who defeated the injury-plagued Indiana Pacers 114-83 despite missing star Stephen Curry, who sat out his third consecutive game.
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