Grizzlies avoid elimination with 39-point Game 5 win over Warriors: What are the largest margins of victory in NBA Playoff history?

Gilbert McGregor

Grizzlies avoid elimination with 39-point Game 5 win over Warriors: What are the largest margins of victory in NBA Playoff history? image

No Ja Morant, no problem?

After it was announced that their All-Star point guard would likely be out for the remainder of the postseason, the Grizzlies returned to Memphis facing a 3-1 series deficit in the Western Conference Semifinals series with the Warriors.

MORE: The latest on Ja Morant's knee injury

They may have been without their best player, but the Grizzlies put forth their best performance of the 2022 NBA Playoffs by far.

After a solid first quarter, Memphis used a monstrous second quarter to take a 27-point lead into the halftime break. Things would get out of hand from there, as the Grizzlies outscored the Warriors 42-17 in the third quarter to take a 119-67 lead into the final frame.

To break the math down on that one, that's a 52-point advantage for Memphis, which led by as many as 55 (!) points in Game 5.

With the game well in hand, the Grizzlies held on for a 134-95 win, equating to a 39-point margin of victory. Desmond Bane, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Tyus Jones each scored 21 points to help the Grizzlies make up for Morant's absence.

MORE: Jaren Jackson Jr. vs. Jordan Poole: High school teammates turned rivals

It's not often that you see such a lopsided game in the playoffs, but it has happened before. Here is where Memphis' win stacks up among the most dominant postseason victories in NBA history.

Largest margins of victory in NBA Playoffs history

The largest margin of victory in NBA Playoffs history is 58, which was done twice. Most recently, the Denver Nuggets earned a 121-63 win over the New Orleans Hornets in Game 4 of the first round of the 2009 NBA Playoffs.

Thanks to a late surge from Golden State in the fourth, Memphis' win is the 26th-largest in postseason history. It's the fifth-largest margin of defeat in Warriors' playoff history.

Year Series Game Point Margin
2009 West First Round Nuggets 121, Hornets 63 58
1956 West Semifinals Lakers 133, Hawks 75 58
1973 West Finals Lakers 126, Warriors 70 56
2015 East First Round Bulls 120, Bucks 66 54
1971 West Semifinals Bucks 136, Warriors 86 50
1995 East First Round Magic 124, Celtics 77 47
1986 West First Round Lakers 135, Spurs 88 47
2017 East Finals Cavaliers 130, Celtics 86 44
1997 West First Round SuperSonics 122, Suns 78 44
1985 West Finals Lakers 153, Nuggets 109 44
1958 West Finals Hawks 145, Pistons 101 44
2020 West First Round Clippers 154, Mavericks 111 43
2010 East Semifinals Magic 114, Hawks 71 43
1987 East First Round Pistons 128, Bullets 85 43
1984 West Semifinals Lakers 134, Mavericks 91 43
1998 NBA Finals Bulls 96, Jazz 54 42
2018 West Finals Warriors 126, Rockets 85 41
1991 East First Round Bulls 126, Knicks 85 41
2014 West First Round Clippers 138, Warriors 98 40
2009 West Semifinals Lakers 118, Rockets 78 40
2005 West First Round Mavericks 116, Rockets 76 40
1983 West Semifinals Spurs 145, Nuggets 105 40
1982 East Finals Celtics 121, 76ers 81 40
1978 East Semifinals 76ers 130, Knicks 90 40
1969 West Semifinals Lakers 118, Warriors 78 40
2022 West Semifinals Grizzlies 134, Warriors 95 39
2021 East Semifinals Nets 125, Bucks 86 39
2017 West Semifinals Spurs 114, Rockets 75 39
2008 NBA Finals Celtics 131, Lakers 92 39
2001 West Finals Lakers 111, Spurs 72 39
1991 West First Round Jazz 129, Suns 90 39

Gilbert McGregor

Gilbert McGregor Photo

Gilbert McGregor first joined The Sporting News in 2018 as a content producer for Global editions of NBA.com. Before covering the game, McGregor played basketball collegiately at Wake Forest, graduating with a Communication degree in 2016. McGregor began covering the NBA during the 2017-18 season and has been on hand for a number of league events.