Ajay Mitchell scores 35 as Thunder rout Grizzlies 128-97

Ajay Mitchell scored 35 points on 14-of-20 shooting to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 128-97 rout of the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday, November 6, in Memphis.

Mitchell made 4 of 7 3-pointers in 30 minutes and finished plus-33. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 28 points, and Jared McCain scored 21 with four steals.

Memphis (6-3) led 16-10 midway through the first quarter, its largest lead of the night. An 11-0 run put Oklahoma City (7-2) ahead 21-16. The game had only two lead changes.

Isaiah Stewart did not play for Memphis, out with a right knee bone bruise. Jaylin Williams was out for Oklahoma City with low back spasms.

The Thunder pulled away late in the second quarter on a 10-0 run that made it 68-46, then opened the third with 12 straight points for an 83-51 lead. Memphis did not threaten again.

Another 10-0 run in the fourth quarter made it 122-89. Bennett Stirtz scored 12 points off the bench, and Micah Peavy's jumper pushed the lead to 37 at 128-91.

Ty Jerome led Memphis with 21 points. Zach Edey made all eight of his free throws for 14. Cameron Boozer grabbed 12 rebounds but made 2 of 14 shots and missed all eight of his 3-point attempts.

The Grizzlies made 10 of 45 3-pointers and turned the ball over 18 times. Oklahoma City finished with an effective field goal percentage of 64.1. Memphis went 29 of 31 at the free-throw line, and it changed little.

Olivier-Maxence Prosper's short basket with 24.4 seconds left made the final 128-97.

Up next

Thunder: home against the Washington Wizards on Saturday, November 7.

Grizzlies: at the Toronto Raptors on Monday, November 9.