Preview: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Memphis Grizzlies: Player props, injury report and prediction | NBA

Oklahoma City Thunder and Memphis Grizzlies, both 6-2, begin their NBA Cup group campaigns at FedExForum on Friday night, early Saturday morning in the UK, with the Thunder looking to extend a winning run over Memphis that covers a first-round playoff sweep in 2025 and all three regular-season meetings last term.

Cup group games count towards the regular-season record under the NBA format, so the result matters twice, and it arrives with Memphis coming off two straight defeats and Oklahoma City without Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren and Cason Wallace.

What is the form like for the Thunder and Grizzlies?

Form Guide

Oklahoma City Thunder 6-2 · 4th in the West

Last 5 (2026-27 regular season)

WLLWW

110.0 PPG

108.7 Opp PPG

111.7 Off. rating

110.8 Def. rating

Memphis Grizzlies 6-2 · 6th in the West

Last 5 (2026-27 regular season)

WWWLL

120.5 PPG

109.7 Opp PPG

117.1 Off. rating

106.8 Def. rating

Memphis won their first six games of the season, beating Utah and Sacramento twice each plus Golden State and Portland, before losing 134-135 in overtime to New Orleans and then falling 107-103 to Indiana at home.

Ball security has been the clearest problem during that slide, with 19 turnovers against the Pacers in a game that left the Grizzlies on 103 points.

Oklahoma City have been harder to read, losing by 24 at Dallas and by 21 at Houston inside a week before taking a home-and-away pairing with Cleveland, 117-112 on the road and 124-116 at home.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has carried the load in that recovery, scoring 42 points in the second Cleveland game with the help of 15 made free throws.

On the raw numbers Memphis have the stronger early profile, scoring more, passing more and shooting far better from three, while Oklahoma City protect the ball better and concede slightly fewer points.

Those gaps rest on a handful of games, and the Thunder's defensive numbers carry the damage of the two heavy road defeats that came before their current winning run.

Memphis are making 40.1% of their threes, a rate few teams hold across a full season, so some regression is likely as the sample grows.

The summer reshaped the Grizzlies, who finished 25-57 last season and traded Ja Morant to Portland for Jerami Grant and Kris Murray, while Oklahoma City won 64 games.

This is the first Cup game for both teams in West Group B, which also contains Minnesota, the Clippers and New Orleans, and Memphis missed last year's knockout round on point differential, so margin of victory carries extra weight.

Oklahoma City's guard depth has been tested by the injuries, and Bennett Stirtz scored 16 points in the second Cleveland game as the Thunder adapted.

Thunder vs. Grizzlies team news and rotations

Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren and Cason Wallace are all listed as out for Oklahoma City, while Jaylin Williams, Nikola Topic and Thomas Sorber carry day-to-day designations.

Oklahoma City started Gilgeous-Alexander, Ajay Mitchell, Kenrich Williams, Aday Mara and Isaiah Hartenstein against Cleveland, and that group looks the likeliest starting five unless a day-to-day player returns.

Memphis started Jerome, Cedric Coward, Jaylen Wells, Cameron Boozer and Zach Edey against Indiana, with Coward scoring 23 points and taking nine rebounds in 33 minutes.

Isaiah Stewart (right knee) and Scotty Pippen Jr. (back) are day-to-day for Memphis, and Stewart played under 10 minutes against Indiana, so his status is worth checking before tip-off.

Oklahoma City host Washington on Saturday, and with the NBA schedule that tight, the Thunder's minute distribution is worth watching.

The matchups that could decide Thunder vs. Grizzlies

Key Matchups

The frontline contrast

Cameron Boozer MEM

16.5 PPG

9.8 RPG

5.4 APG

VS

Aday Mara OKC

6.8 PPG

5.5 RPG

19.0 MIN

Boozer carries a far heavier scoring and rebounding load, while Mara contributes in fewer than 20 minutes a game, so the contrast in roles is the story here.

Backcourt scoring duel

Ty Jerome MEM

27.4 PPG

5.3 APG

3.6 RPG

VS

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander OKC

30.1 PPG

4.5 APG

4.3 RPG

Jerome faces the club he once played for, while Gilgeous-Alexander lives at the free-throw line, as his 19 attempts against Cleveland showed.

The most interesting contest sits in the frontcourt, where Cameron Boozer, the No. 3 pick, meets Aday Mara, the No. 12 pick, and Zach Edey's 13 rebounds against Indiana show how much Memphis lean on size on the glass.

Ty Jerome, a former Thunder player, faces his old club after a 23-point night on 10-of-20 shooting against Indiana, and Memphis will need him to match Gilgeous-Alexander's scoring to stay in touch.

Player props for Thunder vs. Grizzlies

Player Props to Watch

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander OKC

Points Over 27.5

30.1 Season avg (8 GP)

42 Last game

With Jalen Williams out, more of the shot creation sits with him, and his free-throw volume gives him a high floor.

Ty Jerome MEM

Points Over 24.5

27.4 Season avg (7 GP)

23 Last game

He took 20 shots against Indiana and remains the first scoring option in an offence that has been generating plenty of looks.

Isaiah Hartenstein OKC

Rebounds Over 9.5

10.1 Season avg (8 GP)

12 Last game

He grabbed 12 against Cleveland and has averaged around ten a game, which makes the line a fair one for a starting centre.

Thunder vs. Grizzlies head-to-head record

Oklahoma City won all three regular-season meetings last season, taking a 114-100 decision in Memphis after the Grizzlies let a 19-point lead slip, then winning 119-103 at home in December.

The third meeting, a 117-116 Thunder win in Memphis in January, saw Oklahoma City recover from 21 points down, with Alex Caruso blocking Coward's final attempt.

The Thunder also swept Memphis 4-0 in the first round of the 2025 playoffs, opening with a 131-80 win, although the Grizzlies have changed heavily since then.

The three meetings last season produced 214, 222 and 233 combined points, so Memphis have not yet dragged Oklahoma City into a track meet in this fixture.

Our Thunder vs. Grizzlies prediction and tips

Oklahoma City's edge comes from top-end talent rather than early-season numbers, since Gilgeous-Alexander's scoring has stayed reliable through the injuries while Memphis have lost their last two games.

Memphis's offence and home court should keep this close, but the Thunder have won all seven meetings since the start of the 2025 playoffs, and a fourth straight regular-season win looks the likelier outcome.