Grizzlies' 41-point massacre of Bucks has only been exceeded once in NBA history

Don't look now, but the Memphis Grizzlies, winners of seven straight, are the top seed in the Western Conference despite the fact that their top three players, Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane, have yet to play a single minute together. 

On Thursday, Memphis obliterated the Bucks, 142-101, in what goes down as the second-most lopsided victory over an opponent with at least a .700 winning percentage in NBA history, per ESPN Stats. 

At one point, the Grizzlies held a 50-point lead. If you're thinking Milwaukee couldn't have been at full strength while suffering a beating like this, think again. Jrue Holiday was the only regular out, and Bane was out, too, for the Grizzlies, so fair play. The Bucks simply got pounded. 

A quick glance at the box score reveals what could be some surprising numbers. A blowout like this, in today's age, would typically show one team blitzing the other from deep, but Memphis only made one more 3-point than Milwaukee, and they each made equal free throws (18), too. 

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That leaves one heck of a two-point disparity. Indeed, Memphis, which had eight players finish with double-digit points, outscored Milwaukee by almost 50 points in the paint (86-38). You might think that sounds wild against a team with Giannis, who scores more paint points than any player not named Zion Williamson, and it is, to be that lopsided, but this is what the Grizzlies do. They score more paint points than any team in the league. 

They also score the second-most fast-break points, and indeed, they basically doubled up Milwaukee in that column (27-14). This was an extreme performance built on Memphis' consistent practices. The Grizzlies have been defending like crazy of late, and Ja Morant is climbing the MVP ladder. This team is for real, as the Bucks found out.