Fierce rivals Thunder, Grizzlies set for punishing series in West semifinals

Memphis Grizzlies' Zach Randolph (50) shoots over Los Angeles Clippers' Matt Barnes, left, during the second half of Game 6 in a first-round NBA basketball playoff series in Memphis, Tenn., Friday, May 3, 2013. Randolph scored 23 points in the Grizzlies 118-105 victory over the Clippers .(AP Photo/Danny Johnston) (The Associated Press)

Oklahoma City Thunder's Kendrick Perkins (5) and Serge Ibaka, center, exchange words with Houston Rockets' Omer Asik (3) in the first quarter of Game 6 in a first-round NBA basketball playoff series Friday, May 3, 2013, in Houston. (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan) (The Associated Press)

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma City Thunder and Memphis Grizzlies are ready to rumble again.

Two years after slugging it out in a Western Conference semifinal series that went the full seven games, the two rough-and-tumble rivals will square off again starting in Game 1 in Oklahoma City on Sunday.

The Thunder prevailed against Memphis in the last playoff series, which featured a triple-overtime game and another with just one overtime. There's been no love lost since then between the teams, who combined for nine technical fouls in three meetings this season.

Grizzlies star Zach Randolph and Oklahoma City enforcer Kendrick Perkins were ejected in one of the games, with a confrontation that continued off the court and into the hallway outside both teams' locker rooms.

With even more on the line, the tension should only increase.