Jan. 10, 2026, 5:08 p.m. CT
Looking like the Oklahoma City Thunder were about to get their second blowout loss in three games against a bottom-feeder team, it felt like they were on the verge of a midlife crisis. What’s made the reigning NBA champion so dominant is that they don’t take any opponent lightly.
Possession by possession, though, the Thunder slowly got back into it against the Memphis Grizzlies. After being down 111-98 with a little over five minutes left, they finished the game on an unreal 19-5 run to mount a 21-point comeback in a 117-116 win.
Jalen Williams had a vintage fourth-quarter takeover with 12 of his season-high 26 points happening in the final frame. Kenrich Williams hit the go-ahead 3-pointer to put OKC up in the final minute. Alex Caruso came up with the game-winning one-on-one stop in the final possession on Cedric Coward.
Still getting used to his surgically-repaired wrist like he’s Bucky Barnes, Williams said the Thunder had a change of mindset during that stretch. They returned to their MO of playing a swarming style of defense that forced turnovers and a chaotic offense in transition.
“We almost got a little comfortable in a way where we’re just beating teams and expecting to win. We didn’t have enough humility or humbleness going about how we’re winning the games,” Williams said. “Every team expects to win. I don’t think we were going on about that process well in the last couple of games.”
Need a news break? Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!
The recent mediocre stretch Williams referenced saw them drop some excusable games, a la the Phoenix Suns on the road. But it also plagued them with unreal losses — like getting blown out by the Charlotte Hornets at home. That was the first time they lost to a team with a below .500 record in 46 games.
“Yesterday was really good in the sense that things aren’t going right. How could we get back to our identity and kinda bottle that down? I think we did a really good job of getting back to who we were,” Williams said. “Getting stops. When there’s an inconvenience in the game, what we’re really good at is, throughout my years here, not focusing on that and sticking to our principles.”
Let’s see if the Thunder can keep the ball rolling in these next handful of games. A couple of matchups against the San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets could tell a lot in terms of where the Thunder are in the NBA’s hierarchy. Those will be OKC’s next stress tests as we’re in the meat of the regular-season marathon.