Butler Still Has Bounce
ESPN Video: Oklahoma City Thunder forward Caron Butler burst past the defender and finished with a soaring dunk.
Durant scores 33 points and Westbrook adds 23 as Oklahoma City beats Memphis in game #1. Final Score 100-86.
Westbrook with the best play in basketball - dribbling out the clock.
NBA Playoff Action: Memphis Grizzlies Meet the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference First Round.
The "Peake" is hopping now! Victory is in sight.
Holy Cow! Ibaka with the denial on Miller - Durant with the breakaway jam!
2:11 4th Q: It's all academic now, as they say. OKC leads by 12.
Memphis will have to take what it can from this game to prepare for game 2 on Tuesday.
3:18 4th Q: 93-81 Thunder leads. Timeout called by the Grizzlies to set up a last ditch effort to mount a comeback.
Ibaka scores on a pick-and-roll to put the lead back to 12 for OKC. Ibaka has hit big shots in the 4th quarter to help OKC stay on top.
4:36 4th Q: OKC leads 89-77.
Under six minutes left in the game. Randolph returns to the floor with 5 fouls. Can he lead another comeback?
NBA Live Playoff Action: Memphis Grizzlies Visit the Oklahoma City Thunder in Round 1
Memphis exerted so much energy with its comeback attempt. Grizzlies seem to be running out of gas with 6 minutes left in the game.
6:21 4th Q: An 11-1 run has the Thunder back to a comfortable lead. 85-73, OKC
Kevin Durant showing why he is the MVP frontrunner. His deep three gets the lead back to 10 for OKC. 6:37 remaining.
Fisher draws a foul on Miller in the 40 and over league. OKC lead back to 8, at 80-72.
8 minutes to go 4th quarter. OKC leads 78-72.
Ibaka with the 3 point play.
8:42 4th Q: Mike Miller hits from downtown to cut the lead to 2, 74-72.
Oklahoma City Thunder and Memphis Grizzlies Tangle in NBA Western Conference Playoffs.
74-69 OKC. Caron Butler with the flush!
Tony Allen hits to cut the lead to three. This is as close as Memphis has been since the beginning. 72-69 Thunder.
Breaking news! Zach Randolph just picked up his 5th foul. He heads to the bench on a controversial call with 9:52 left.
10:07 4th Q: 71-67 OKC lead. Collison shooting 2 for the Thunder. Randolph just picked up his fourth foul.
A blowout has turned into a grinding, physical game. Which team is strong enough to survive.
Such is life in the NBA. Teams are always capable of making a run (Indiana, excluded) no matter how big the deficit.
End of three in Oklahoma City. Down by as many as 25 points, Memphis has fought back to trim the OKC lead to 4. 69-65 Thunder lead. Settle in for an exciting 12 minutes.
.33.5 3rd Q: Memphis showing its grit and determination. 69-63 Thunder.
Thunder squad showing frustration in the second half.
Memphis Grizzlies Battle Oklahoma City Thunder in First round of NBA Western Conference Playoffs
3:22 3rd Q: 65-69 Thunder leads.
Oklahoma City has gone ice cold from the field. No rhythm whatsoever from the Thunder right now. Durant fouled shooting a three and will go to the line to try and get his team back on track.
4:46 3rd Q: 64-57 OKC. Memphis has cut the lead to 7.
5:55 3rd Q: 62-53 OKC leads. Offenses look better at both ends right now.
14-4 run for Memphis to open the second half. This just might be a game after all.
Memphis Grizzlies and Oklahoma City Thunder Squaring Off in First Round NBA Playoff Action.
7:17 3rd Q: 60-51 OKC. The "Peake" is in shocked silence.
The pace has slowed down some to start the third quarter. Memphis grinding along and has trimmed the lead to 10, with an Allen costless throw coming.
It's down to 14.
Slow start for the Thunder out of the lockerroom. Timeout called by Scott Brooks to settle his guys down. It is expected that OKC would come out a little flat after such a strong first half.
Perkins called for his fourth personal foul.
Third quarter is ready to go!
Oklahoma City Thunder Take on Memphis Grizzlies in Western Conference Playoff Action
Durant leads the Thunder with 17 points. Conley has 10 for the Grizzlies.
Thunder has 21 fast break points. The pace is in OKC's control.
Oklahoma City hit all 11 of its FT attempts in the first half.. Plus the Thunder is shooting 47% from the floor - good enough on this night.
9 of 20 from the line. 12-48 from the field. Bad numbers for the Grizzlies.
Halftime in OKC - Memphis finally gets on the board with an outside shot, by James Johnson from Cheyenne, Wyoming. But OKC leads big at the break. 56-34 Thunder.
Another missed costless throw from Memphis. it cannot capilalize from the line.
Zach Randolph has not been able to get his game going tonight against the defense of Kendrick Perkins and the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Durant hits a technical costless throw to put OKC up 50-30.
2:40 2nd Q: 49-30 Thunder leads. No scoring outside the key for Memphis.
One positive note, Memphis has several of the Thunder front line guys in foul trouble. Hasheem Thabeet is in the game and just got whistled for a foul. But the Grizzlies are only 8-14 from the line.
The Thunder defense has been stellar so far. Memphis shooting only 24%
Oklahoma City Thunder take on the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs.
6:34 2nd Q: A quarter and a half in the books, and Memphis has scored 24 points. 45-24 Thunder leads.
If not for costless throws, Memphis would have nothing going on offensively. The Grizz cannot stop OKC at all.
Mike Miller guarding Derek Fisher. Combined age of 106.
Memphis looking like the Ex-Men not the X-men
10:15 2nd Q: 36-18 OKC. Memphis is sticking to its game plan, but will it be enough to stay close to Oklahoma City? If this gets too far out of reach, it will become like a running team having to throw deep to get back into it. Danger time for the Grizzlies.
Only 5 made field goals so far for Memphis. Slow is losing to fast, at least for now.
Thunder is controlling the paint so far. No easy looks for the Memphis big men.
Fouls mounting up for the Thunder. The costless throw line has been the best offense so far for the Grizzlies.
Memphis Grizzlies versus the Oklahoma City Thunder: Live NBA Playoff coverage.
Memphis is still going to its horse inside. Randolph has to hit shots though. 1-4 so far.
Westbrook and Durant have combined to score 19 of the Thunder's first 23 points.
5:54 First Q: Thunder out to an early 16-8 lead.
Tony Allen comes into the game to guard Durant. Will that change the way OKC attacks the defense?
The Grizzlies have not deviated from thier gameplan so far. Randolph keeps getting touches on the block, and that is their best option - has been all season.
Perhaps Memphis will settle in, but Oklahoma City looks every bit like a team ready to challenge for a championship.
9:04: Conley gets Memphis on the board.
Remember, Serge Ibaka is still in his early 20s. Scary.
10:09 First Q: Thunder off to a fast start. Nothing going to the basket yet for Memphis.
Western Conference Playoffs: Memphis Grizzlies visit Oklahoma City Thunder
Westbrook takes the snap from Perkins!
The wait is over. Game one is ready to roll!
Pregame: "The Peake" will be rocking tonight.
Pregame: The NBA nightcap. Can OKC hold off Memphis?
Pregame: Rookie Nick Calathes of the Grizzlies has been suspended for violating the anti-drug poilicy. He is appealing but will not play tonight.
Pregame: Pace will be key. Oklahoma City is fifth in scoring while Memphis is near the bottom. Which team will control tempo?
Live Coverage of Memphis Grizzlies against Oklahoma City Thunder, Western Conference Playoffs, Round One.
Pregame: Tip-off between Oklahoma City Thunder and Memphis Grizzlies coming up soon.
Pregame: Three up and three down for the home teams so far. Can Oklahoma City buck today's trend?
Pregame: How will first year coach David Joerger hold up in his first playoff series between Grizzlies - Thunder? And will Scott Brooks be on the hot seat in the event of another early playoff exit?
Pregame: Kevin Durant is coming off yet another NBA scoring title, but he cares less about that than earning his first ring. The road begins with a visit from the team that knocked his Thunder out of the playoffs last season. Memphis is better than an average 7th seed, by virtue of a strong second half of the season. It remains to be seen if the Grizzlies can slow Durant down enough to gain an edge in the series.
Live NBA playoffs 2014 Inline Coverage
Pregame: Russell Westbrook also seems to have no more ill effects of his bum knee and will be a factor in maintaining the ultra fast tempo that OKC likes to play. But the Thunder will have match-up problems of its own with Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol, each of whom will be a force inside the paint. Look for Serge Ibaka to have a busy series sticking with either of the two players. Mike Conley will be key to Memphis keeping its ground and pound attack going; the Grizzlies do not want to get in an up and down series with Oklahoma City.
Live Memphis - Grizzlies - Oklahoma City Thunder in NBA Playoffs 2014
Pregame: Two higher seeds have gone down already on this first day of the 2014 NBA Playoffs. Can Memphis knock off Oklahoma City tonight? Stay tuned.
Pregame: Before tip-off, and throughout the series, follow these five story lines sure to be deciding factors in this series.