Thunder storm grizzlies' Den

MEMPHIS • The Memphis Grizzlies and the Oklahoma City Thunder have different ambitions this season.

The Grizzlies, fourth in the Western Conference, are aiming to make the play-offs for the second consecutive campaign, while the Thunder, 13th in the same conference, remain in transition, just like last term.

But no team, even one in rebuilding mode and without any All-Stars, want to get beaten the way Oklahoma were when they suffered a 152-79 drubbing in Memphis on Dec 2 - the biggest losing margin in National Basketball Association (NBA) history.

Despite facing another road game at the Grizzlies, the Thunder atoned for that miserable performance with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scoring 23 points to fuel the visitors to a 102-99 victory on Monday.

Australian rookie Josh Giddey collected a career-high-tying 19 points and a career-best 11 assists and Kenrich Williams added 13 points off the bench for Oklahoma, who won their second straight game.

However, it did not look that way in the first quarter. They scored just 16 points to the Grizzlies' 28 and it was eerily similar to the first quarter of their last meeting in December.

But this time, the visitors fought back, getting to within three points at the half-way mark and continued to show spirit in the third and fourth quarters.

Gilgeous-Alexander's lay-up gave Oklahoma a 94-93 lead with 1min 42sec to play before Memphis' 2020 Rookie of the Year Ja Morant, making his return after more than three weeks out with injury, answered with a short jumper on the next possession.

Another lay-up, this time by Giddey with 50sec left, regained the advantage for the Thunder before Gilgeous-Alexander made an uncontested dunk off an inbounds pass to push Oklahoma's lead to three points with 16.6sec remaining.

It was back-and-forth until the final buzzer but Dillon Brooks' desperation heave from beyond half-court fell short to end the game.

"We kind of stabilised the game after those first four minutes when we fell behind 13-2," Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said.

"They threw the first punch and then from there, I thought we really got our defence into the game."

Giddey, who became the second teenager in NBA history to have 20 rebounds and 20 assists in a two-game span, joining reigning Rookie of the Year LaMelo Ball, added: "We made a lot of plays down the stretch and that's why we won the game.

"In our last three games, we have executed as good as we could have (in the closing minutes)."

Desmond Bane, in his 100th career game, drained five three-pointers to pace the Grizzlies with 25 points, while Brooks had 19 and Morant 16.

In Boston, All-Star Joel Embiid scored 41 points and sparked an undermanned Philadelphia 76ers to a 108-103 road win over the Celtics.

The impressive all-round display alongside 26 points by Seth Curry and 25 from Tobias Harris enabled the Sixers to snap a three-game skid despite missing Shake Milton due to Covid-19 protocols and Tyrese Maxey due to injury.

"We had a calm tonight. The guys were in a great mental place. They really wanted it. You could sense it," said 76ers coach Doc Rivers.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS