NBA Playoffs, Early Round Classics Season 2011 Episode 26 Memphis vs Oklahoma City Game #1 05/01/2011

Memphis vs Oklahoma City Game #1 on May 1, 2011 marked the beginning of an intense playoff series between these two Western Conference rivals. The game took place at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City and saw the Memphis Grizzlies face off against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Grizzlies came into the playoffs as the 8th seed after finishing the regular season with a record of 46-36. They were led by their All-Star center Marc Gasol and point guard Mike Conley, who averaged 14.6 points and 6.1 assists per game during the regular season. On the other hand, the Thunder were the 4th seed with a record of 55-27. They were led by their dynamic duo of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, both of whom were named to the All-NBA First Team after averaging over 25 points per game each.

From the opening tip, it was clear that this was going to be a hard-fought battle between two gritty teams. The Grizzlies were playing with incredible intensity on both ends of the floor, while the Thunder were trying to use their athleticism and star power to pull away. The first quarter ended with the Grizzlies up by two points after a back-and-forth battle.

The second quarter saw a surge from the Thunder, who were able to take a 10-point lead at one point due to some hot shooting from Westbrook and Durant. However, the Grizzlies were not deterred and fought back hard to cut the lead to six points by halftime.

The third quarter was where things really started to heat up. Both teams were playing with incredible passion and physicality, and neither team was willing to give an inch. Gasol and Zach Randolph of the Grizzlies were dominating the paint, while Durant and Westbrook were doing everything in their power to keep the Thunder in the game. The Grizzlies were able to tie the game at the end of the third quarter, setting up a thrilling final period.

The fourth quarter was a back-and-forth affair with both teams trading baskets and playing stifling defense. With just over a minute left in the game, the Thunder had a one-point lead and possession of the ball. However, after a missed shot, the Grizzlies were able to grab the rebound and take the lead with 23 seconds left after a clutch shot from Randolph. The Thunder had a chance to tie it up, but missed a three-pointer at the buzzer, giving the Grizzlies a hard-fought victory and a 1-0 series lead.

Overall, this was an incredibly entertaining game between two evenly matched teams. The Grizzlies were able to grind out a win thanks to their tough defense and clutch play in the closing minutes of the game. However, the Thunder showed that they were a force to be reckoned with and would not go down without a fight. This was just the beginning of what would turn out to be an epic playoff series between these two teams.