Result checked November 6, 2026, at 10:37 p.m. in Memphis, Central Standard Time (CST, UTC−06:00), equivalent to November 7, 2026, at 04:37 UTC. The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 128–97 at FedExForum on Friday, November 6, in 2026 Emirates NBA Cup West Group B play. The game is final, not merely scheduled: both the official Thunder game page and CBS Sports game tracker confirm the 31-point result.
Ajay Mitchell scored a career-high 35 points on 14-of-20 shooting to lead Oklahoma City, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander adding 28 and Jared McCain contributing 21. The Thunder broke the game open with a 36–21 second quarter, then protected their lead to improve to 7–2 in the NBA regular season. Memphis fell to 6–3. The result also gives Oklahoma City a valuable win and a positive scoring margin in NBA Cup group play.
The Thunder won 128–97. The contest was played at FedExForum, Memphis, Tennessee, and began at its scheduled time of 7:00 p.m. Memphis CST (UTC−06:00) on Friday, November 6, equivalent to 8:00 p.m. EST (UTC−05:00) and 01:00 UTC on Saturday, November 7. Memphis had already returned to standard time after the November 1 daylight-saving change. The date in UTC is therefore different from the date at the arena.
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma City Thunder | 35 | 36 | 27 | 30 | 128 |
| Memphis Grizzlies | 28 | 21 | 27 | 21 | 97 |
The official NBA game center provides the final result and access to game statistics, while the CBS Sports game tracker supplies the quarter-by-quarter breakdown. This NBA Cup meeting also counts toward the teams' regular-season records; it was not an exhibition or separate postseason contest.
Oklahoma City established an early edge with a 35–28 first quarter. The decisive stretch came before halftime, when the Thunder scored 36 points and held the Grizzlies to 21 in the second period. That made the score 71–49 at the break, leaving Memphis with a 22-point deficit. Neither team gained ground in the third quarter, which ended 27–27, and Oklahoma City added to the separation by taking the fourth 30–21.
The pattern matters because it shows a sustained advantage rather than a last-minute surge. Memphis did not erase the gap after intermission. Oklahoma City maintained a productive offense across all four quarters, scoring at least 27 points in each. The Thunder had arrived dealing with significant rotation absences, but the completed box score confirms that available players supplied enough scoring to win comfortably.
Ajay Mitchell led all scorers with 35 points, a career high reported by the game recap carried by CBS Sports. He made 14 of 20 field-goal attempts, including four three-pointers, and recorded five assists. Gilgeous-Alexander produced 28 points on 11-of-22 shooting, while McCain added 21 points on 9-of-14 shooting. Those three Oklahoma City players combined for 84 points, nearly two-thirds of the Thunder's total.
For Memphis, Ty Jerome led the scoring with 21 points. Rookie Cameron Boozer collected 12 rebounds and scored eight points. The result contrasts with the pregame focus on whether Gilgeous-Alexander would need to carry an injury-hit Thunder offense largely by himself. Mitchell instead became the game's leading scorer, with significant support from the Oklahoma City backcourt.
The widest measurable difference was shooting efficiency. Oklahoma City made 51 of 92 field goals (55.4%); Memphis made 29 of 88 (33.0%). The Thunder also converted 16 of 35 three-point attempts (45.7%), compared with 10 of 45 (22.2%) for the Grizzlies. Memphis attempted more threes but hit six fewer, creating a substantial gap in perimeter scoring.
Ball movement and mistakes helped distinguish the teams as well. Oklahoma City recorded 25 assists and 12 turnovers, against 18 assists and 18 turnovers for Memphis. The reported total rebounds were even at 54 apiece, so the result cannot be explained simply as the Thunder dominating the glass. These figures describe what happened on the court; they do not independently establish any single tactical or medical cause for Memphis' defeat. Full comparative numbers can be found in the CBS Sports game tracker and the NBA game materials.
Oklahoma City and Memphis are in West Group B alongside the Minnesota Timberwolves, LA Clippers and New Orleans Pelicans, as detailed in the NBA's NBA West Group B preview. Each club plays four group games, with every result also counting in the regular-season standings. The Thunder earned the win in this head-to-head meeting, and the final margin was plus 31 for Oklahoma City and minus 31 for Memphis from this particular game.
Under the official NBA Cup format and tiebreakers, group record determines qualification first, with head-to-head results and point differential among the subsequent tiebreakers. The six group winners and one wild-card team from each conference reach the knockout stage. This victory does not, by itself, confirm that Oklahoma City has advanced, and a single loss does not necessarily eliminate Memphis. The remaining West Group B fixtures, other teams' results and the complete league standings are needed before assigning final positions or qualification outcomes.
The victory pushed Oklahoma City to 7–2 and extended its winning run to three games; Memphis dropped to 6–3 after a third consecutive defeat following a 6–0 start. Those are updated regular-season records after this matchup, not final NBA Cup group rankings. Oklahoma City must now carry the momentum into its next scheduled games while monitoring player availability. Memphis has an immediate opportunity to address its shooting and turnover problems, although the extent to which either issue persists cannot be determined from one game.
Fans seeking subsequent results, verified injuries or West Group B standings should return to the NBA game center and the NBA's official tournament standings rather than relying on the earlier pregame status. The final score and player totals above are confirmed for November 6; any statement about advancement, future lineups or later results would require separate verification.
Sources verified for this update: official Thunder game page; NBA game center; CBS Sports game tracker; NBA West Group B preview; NBA Cup format and tiebreakers.
Oklahoma City won 128–97 at FedExForum in the 2026 Emirates NBA Cup group stage.
Ajay Mitchell scored a game-high 35 points for Oklahoma City, ahead of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's 28.
No advancement was confirmed by this result alone. The Thunder gained a West Group B victory and a plus-31 margin; qualification depends on the full group-play outcomes and applicable tiebreakers.
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