Camille Naredo

Jaylin Williams #6, Aaron Wiggins #21 and Cason Wallace #22 of the Oklahoma City Thunder high five during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies during Round 1 Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Playoffs on April 20, 2025 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Joe Murphy, NBAE via Getty Images/AFP

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - APRIL 20: Jaylin Williams #6, Aaron Wiggins #21 and Cason Wallace #22 of the Oklahoma City Thunder high five during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies during Round 1 Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Playoffs on April 20, 2025 at Paycom Center 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE   Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images/AFP (Photo by JOE MURPHY / NBAE / Getty Images / Getty Images via AFP)

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2025 NBA Playoffs - Memphis Grizzlies v Oklahoma City Thunder- Game One

Agence France-Presse

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1745207447646AFP__20250420__2210583807__v1__Preview__2025NbaPlayoffsMemphisGrizzliesVOklahomaCity.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Jaylin Williams #6, Aaron Wiggins #21 and Cason Wallace #22 of the Oklahoma City Thunder high five during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies during Round 1 Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Playoffs on April 20, 2025 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Joe Murphy, NBAE via Getty Images/AFP"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Jaylin Williams #6, Aaron Wiggins #21 and Cason Wallace #22 of the Oklahoma City Thunder high five during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies during Round 1 Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Playoffs on April 20, 2025 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. <em>Joe Murphy, NBAE via Getty Images/AFP</em></span></span></span></div><p>LOS ANGELES (<strong>UPDATED</strong>) -- Oklahoma City Thunder destroyed the Memphis Grizzlies 131-80 in the most lopsided game-one win in NBA playoff history on Sunday as reigning champions Boston, Cleveland and Golden State opened the post-season with victories.</p><p>The Celtics, fueled by 30 points from Derrick White, defeated Orlando Magic 103-86.</p><p>The Cavaliers, who beat out the Celtics for top seed in the Eastern Conference, downed Miami Heat 121-100 and the Warriors, with 31 points from Stephen Curry, fended off a late Houston surge to beat the Rockets 95-85.</p><p>Oklahoma City, who emerged as top seeds in the Western Conference with the best overall record in the league, seized a 1-0 lead in their best-of-seven first-round series in emphatic style.</p><p>The Thunder&#x27;s 51-point margin of victory was even more remarkable given that Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had his statistically worst performance of the season -- managing just 15 points, five assists and three rebounds.</p><p>But all of Oklahoma City&#x27;s starters scored in double figures with Jalen Williams providing 20 points along with six assists and Aaron Wiggins contributing 21 points off the bench.</p><p>The win was the fifth largest ever in NBA playoff history and also a franchise record.</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/p-PGPz2qgWs?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></div><p>&quot;We played to our identity,&quot; Gilgeous-Alexander said. &quot;It&#x27;s going to be the key to our success -- just be the true who we are.&quot;</p><p>Grizzlies star Ja Morant finished with 17 points and vowed Memphis -- who battled through the play-in tournament -- would bounce back.</p><p>&quot;We&#x27;ll never play that bad again,&quot; Morant said.</p><p>Things were more tense in the day&#x27;s other Western Conference battle in Houston, where the Rockets sliced a 23-point deficit to three midway through the fourth quarter before the Warriors pulled away again to win.</p><p>Curry shook off a slow start to connect on 12 of 19 shots from the floor, including five three-pointers. Jimmy Butler added 25 points, seven rebounds, six assists and five steals for the Warriors.</p><p>&quot;Stayed in it,&quot; Butler said. &quot;Gave up a little run, but in the end we won.&quot;</p><p>In Boston, star forward Jayson Tatum scored a modest 17 points and finished the game despite a frightening fall under the basket in the fourth quarter that left him nursing a sore right wrist.</p><p>Tatum rose for a dunk and crashed to the court after he was hit by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope -- who was assessed a flagrant foul upon review.</p><p>The Celtics faithful at TD Garden were delighted to see Tatum make his first three-pointer of the night soon after, and Tatum said after the game his wrist was fine.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>- &#x27;Good response&#x27; -</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IaA8478rFa8?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></div><p>Jaylen Brown, back for the postseason after battling knee trouble, scored 16 points and Payton Pritchard added 19 off the bench for Boston, who trailed by one after a nip-and-tuck first half but pulled away relentlessly after the break.</p><p>&quot;Just a good response there in the second half,&quot; White said.</p><p>Paolo Banchero scored 36 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for the Magic. Franz Wagner added 23 points but no other Orlando player scored in double figures.</p><p>In Cleveland, Donovan Mitchell scored 30 points and Ty Jerome added 16 of his 28 in the fourth quarter as the Cavaliers finally put away the determined Heat.</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ywtkpqW3SWU?&amp;pp=0gcJCX4JAYcqIYzv&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></div><p>Miami, who advanced from the play-in tournament on Friday, trailed by 16 in the second quarter, but kept chipping away and were down by just eight midway through the fourth quarter.</p><p>Jerome, in his first playoff game, caught fire, making six of his seven shots in the final period to help Cleveland pull away for good.</p><p>&quot;The thing that makes us special -- it can be anybody any night,&quot; Mitchell said, but added that plenty of work remains.</p><p>&quot;We didn&#x27;t accomplish anything,&quot; Mitchell said. &quot;We just took care of our first job at home.&quot;</p><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div>

<p>The Oklahoma City Thunder destroyed the Memphis Grizzlies 131-80 on Sunday, grabbing the most lopsided game-one win in NBA playoff history as reigning champions Boston opened the post-season with a victory over Orlando.</p>

The Oklahoma City Thunder destroyed the Memphis Grizzlies 131-80 on Sunday, grabbing the most lopsided game-one win in NBA playoff history as reigning champions Boston opened the post-season with a victory over Orlando.

NBA: Thunder crush Grizzlies as Celtics, Cavs and Warriors win

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NBA: Thunder crush Grizzlies as Celtics, Cavs and Warriors win

Agence France-Presse

Published April 21, 2025 09:25 AM PHT

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Updated April 21, 2025 12:35 PM PHT

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