“We will never play that bad again” – Ja Morant Promises Grizzlies’ Comeback after 51-Point Blowout Loss to Thunder

Ja Morant is hopeful to see a different version of his side in Game 2 against the Thunder. His words came after the Grizzlies’ biggest defeat in NBA playoff history. Oklahoma City thrashed Memphis 131-80 in Game 1 of the first-round playoff series on Sunday night. It was the fifth-largest playoff win for any team and the largest margin of victory in Game 1 in playoff history.

Ja Morant scored 17 points on just 6-for-17 shooting. He went 1-for-6 from beyond the arc, and the Grizzlies shot just 34.4% overall. Morant’s scoring partner, Jaren Jackson Jr., managed just four points on 2-for-13 shooting.

Also Read: NBA Awards 2024-25 – Complete List of NBA Awards Finalists Revealed 

Morant Feels Grizzlies Will Not Repeat Same Performance Again

The Oklahoma City Thunder were all over the Grizzlies in Game 1 of the first-round playoff series. The Grizzlies scored 20 or fewer points in three quarters and struggled against the top seed. Despite a horrible performance on the road, Ja Morant is hopeful to see a comeback from his side in Game 2. He also made a promise that Memphis will not repeat Sunday’s performance again.

“We will never play that bad again,” Morant said after the game, according to ESPN.

“It felt better. I was available,” Ja Morant talked about his injury and avoided discussing it much.

“Luckily for us, there’s only one way from this, and that’s up,” Grizzlies interim head coach Tuomas Iisalo also delivered an optimistic statement. “We will analyze it, we’ll learn from it, and then we will fix those things that hurt us. But there were a lot of things.”

The Memphis Grizzlies forced 24 turnovers, including 14 in the first half. Morant and Co. shot only 34.4% from the floor, including 6-of-34 from 3-point range. The Thunder built a 32-point lead at halftime and stretched it to 49 points heading to the final period. They had the biggest lead of 56 points during the fourth quarter, and it would have tied the record for second-largest margin of victory.

Also Read: What’s the Largest Margin of Victory in NBA Playoffs History?

“You got to turn the page fast,” said Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane, who managed nine points on 3-of-12 shooting. “Definitely take the rest of this afternoon and kind of see what we could have done better, but at the end of the day, it’s one game. If we lose by 50 or lose on a buzzer-beater, the series is still 1-0. Not the result that we wanted for sure, but still got a good opportunity to get along the road here in two days.”

The Memphis Grizzlies will take on the Thunder in Game 2 on Tuesday. Oklahoma City have made a clean sweep over Memphis in the regular season with an average winning margin of 18.4 points. With an unbeaten H2H record in the 2024-25, the Thunder looks favorites to win the first-round series without playing seven matches.

Image Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images