Examining the Historical Significance of the Perfection Home Record Maintained After the Thunder vs Grizzlies Victory
The Oklahoma City Thunder maintained their status as the NBA’s most formidable home team on Monday December 22 2025 by defeating the Memphis Grizzlies 119 103 at Paycom Center. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander delivered a masterclass in efficiency, scoring 31 points to extend his historic streak of 20 point games to 100 consecutive outings. The victory marks a successful rebound for the Thunder who had lost two of their previous three games on the road but remain a perfect 14 0 on their home floor this season. Despite both rosters being heavily depleted by injuries, the Thunder’s depth and defensive discipline allowed them to overcome a sluggish start and pull away during a decisive third quarter run.
The impact of the contest was largely defined by the injury report as both teams were missing their primary frontcourt and backcourt anchors. The Thunder operated without star center Chet Holmgren who was sidelined with back spasms while defensive specialist Alex Caruso and wing Aaron Wiggins were also unavailable. In their absence rookie Branden Carlson made his first career NBA start contributing 11 points and providing crucial spacing for Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams. Memphis faced an even steeper climb playing without franchise star Ja Morant and rookie sensation Zach Edey both of whom are recovering from ankle sprains. The Grizzlies’ offensive rhythm suffered significantly under the pressure of the Thunder defense resulting in 23 turnovers that Oklahoma City converted into 31 points.
Reactions from the Thunder locker room centered on the team’s resilience and the continued growth of their young rotation players. Head coach Mark Daigneault praised the "next man up" mentality noting that Ajay Mitchell’s 16 points off the bench were instrumental in maintaining the offensive tempo when the starters rested. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander expressed satisfaction with the team’s bounce back performance but remained focused on improvement stating that they were not at their best despite the double digit win. On the Grizzlies’ side coach Tuomas Iisalo lamented the lack of ball movement and physical presence in the second half where Memphis was outscored in the paint by a staggering 56 28 margin.
Strategically Oklahoma City utilized their speed and length to disrupt Memphis’ passing lanes recording 12 steals and forcing several shot clock violations. Jalen Williams provided the secondary scoring punch with 24 points often attacking the rim with aggression when the Grizzlies attempted to trap Gilgeous-Alexander. The Thunder also capitalized on their superior perimeter shooting finishing the night with 15 made three pointers including several critical long range shots from Lu Dort and Branden Carlson that halted late Memphis rallies.
Looking at the future outlook the Thunder will travel to face the San Antonio Spurs tonight Tuesday December 23 for a back to back divisional matchup. The team remains cautiously optimistic about the return of Chet Holmgren though his status will likely be a game time decision based on how his back responds to morning treatment. The Grizzlies will return to Memphis to prepare for a Christmas week home stand where they hope to reintegrate Brandon Clarke into the rotation. As the calendar turns toward January Oklahoma City’s ability to win while short handed has firmly established them as the championship favorite in the Western Conference.