NBA: Thunder survive unexpected test from Grizzlies

Jalen Williams scored 23 points to lead the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder to a 118-112 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday.

Williams added seven rebounds, six assists, two blocks and a steal. He was one of three players on the Thunder to score at least 20 points, as Chet Holmgren added 22 and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 20.

Williams scored 11 of his points in the fourth quarter as Oklahoma City held off a late push by the Grizzlies (23-45).

Desmond Bane played for the first time since Jan. 12, and he led Memphis with 22 points and seven assists. Bane had been dealing with an ankle injury.

GG Jackson and Jaren Jackson Jr. each added 19 points for the Grizzlies, who also got 16 points from Santi Aldama.

Memphis cut its deficit to five, 112-107, with a minute remaining after the Thunder’s Luguentz Dort was assessed a technical foul for flopping.

Bane sank the ensuring free throw, but when the Grizzlies gained possession, Oklahoma City’s Cason Wallace took the ball from Jaren Jackson and fed it to Holmgren, who went right back to Wallace for a dunk and a 114-107 lead with 44.5 seconds left.

The Thunder hit all four of their free-throw attempts the rest of the way to seal the victory.

Oklahoma City (47-20) has won back-to-back games and five of its past six to move into a tie with the Denver Nuggets for the top spot in the Western Conference.

Memphis has lost two consecutive games and four of its past five.

The Thunder led by 13 going into the fourth quarter before a quick 8-0 run got the Grizzlies back into the game.

When Jake LaRavia converted a layup with 9:32 remaining, Memphis then found itself within 93-91.

The Grizzlies continued to stay within striking distance until Oklahoma City started to pull away late.

The Thunder had grabbed control with a 35-point third quarter.

The game was tied just past the midpoint of the frame when the Thunder went on a 19-5 run, with seven points coming from Gilgeous-Alexander during that stretch.

Oklahoma City led just 56-54 at the break.

–Field Level Media/Reuters