Why Scotty Pippen Jr., Ja Morant are just kidding themselves with bold Thunder claim

Although they never managed to secure a win, the Grizzlies did make things interesting in the latter half of the series. In Game 3, the Grizzlies had a 26-point lead going into halftime before OKC fought back and won, 114-108. Game 4 ended up being the closest of the four matchups, with the Thunder walking out with a two-point victory.

The Grizzlies might feel the series could have been a toss-up, but the opening games tell the true story. The Thunder were clearly the better team from the beginning and made that apparent with a pair of blowout victories on their home floor. Even if the Grizzlies managed to take one of the games on their home floor, it's doubtful they would win outside of Memphis.

Cohesion is a major factor in the Thunder being the team that advanced. OKC has been a tight-knit squad all year, while the Grizzlies have been scrambling since firing their coach toward the end of the regular season.

Morant's injury certainly shifted things, but their chances of pulling off an upset were slim from the beginning. Upon being swept, the Grizzlies will now regroup in the offseason in hopes of contending in 2026.