Martinez Tribune The website of the Martinez Tribune.
BY DANIEL GLUSKOTER
The Warriors overcame three quarters of lethargic play and horrendous shooting to grind out a 101–98 win over the Memphis Grizzlies Monday night to take a three games to one lead in their Western Conference semifinal playoff series.
Steph Curry exults in the closing seconds of the Warriors 101-98 win over Memphis Monday night. Curry scored 32 points, coming up big down the stretch, as Golden State took a commanding 3-1 lead in their Western Conference semifinals series against the Grizzlies.
Steph Curry became the first player in NBA history to reach 500 career playoff three-pointers, finishing with 32 points and eight assists as the Warriors moved within one game of the Western Conference finals and overcame the last minute loss of coach Steve Kerr to Covid protocols.
Curry scored 18 in the final quarter, tying the game at 90 with 3:25 to go, and then converted eight straight free throws in the final minute, scoring 18 points in the fourth quarter, the second most in his postseason career. Golden State trailed for the entire game until taking their first lead of the night with just 45 seconds remaining.
Playing without star guard Ja Morant, who suffered a right knee injury during Saturday’s Game 3 loss, the scrappy Grizzlies took a 76-64 lead with 10:35 remaining in the fourth quarter before the Warriors finally found their offensive rhythm.
Golden State started the game 0-15 from three point range and trailed Memphis 41-38 at the half, shooting a paltry 33% from the field. Outscoring the Grizzlies 39-29 with the game on the line in the fourth quarter, the Warriors still only managed to convert 40% of their shots for the night.
Jaren Jackson Jr. led Memphis with 21 points. Tyus Jones, starting in place of Morant, stepped up with 19 while Kyle Anderson contributed 17 off the bench. Steven Adams, seeing his first extended playing time of the series, grabbed a game high 15 rebounds in 27 minutes of action.
Andrew Wiggins looks to pass the ball out from under the basket during the Warriors 101-98 win over Memphis Monday night.
Andrew Wiggins scored 17 and added ten rebounds for the Warriors, while Klay Thompson (6-20) and Jordan Poole (4-12) both fought poor shooting nights to finish with 14 points each. Otto Porter Jr. made a playoff career-high four 3-pointers en route to 12 points off the bench, and Draymond Green grabbed a team-high 11 rebounds.
After the game, Curry gave credit to acting coach Mike Brown for the way he steeped up at the last minute, “It’s been a wild day all the way around. Mike B. stepped up, so we really didn’t have a lot of time to react. He’s coached in Finals before. He’s been through it all. Been with us for these last six years, and he’s been interim coach for a little bit and made his presence felt.” Alluding to Brown having just signed a four-year contract to coach the Sacramento Kings earlier in the day, Curry added, “I don’t know in history if you could name the head coach of two teams in 24 hours.”
Brown added, “I’m so proud of them, our leader in Steve (Kerr) being out with Covid right before the game. Draymond, emotionally, he’s our heart and soul. It was a tough night for us, but at this point in the year, you win ballgames. Doesn’t matter how you get there, but you win ballgames and we found a way to win tonight and that’s why I’m excited. To have veterans like Andre (Iguodala) and Draymond who have been through the highs and lows of many playoffs series, it gives everybody else confidence because we are playing guys right now that haven’t been as far. Their presence, their voice, their calmness, reassurance, all that stuff means a lot for our group especially with Steve being out.”
Brown improved to 12-0 when serving as the Warriors acting head coach during the postseason.
The Grizzlies Jarren Jackson Jr. draws a blocking foul from Draymond Green late in the Warriors 101-98 win over Memphis in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals Monday night.
With a chance to close out the series, the Warriors will now travel to Memphis to face the Grizzlies on Wednesday in Game 5 of the series at 6:30PM.
GAME NOTES:
The Warriors improved their playoff record at Chase Center to 5-0 and are 50-11 in home playoff games dating back to 2015.
Golden State scored their final 11 points of the game from the free throw line and finished the night shooting 90.9% from the line.
The Warriors have outrebounded the Grizzlies in every game of the series, after having not outrebounded them in four meetings during the regular season.
Curry extended his NBA playoff record streak of making a 3-point basket to 121 consecutive games.
A game after becoming the youngest player to ever start a playoff game in NBA history, Jonathan Kuminga was held scoreless in just five minutes of action.
Dillion Brooks, returning to action after serving a one-game suspension for injuring the Warriors Gary Payton II in Game 2, was booed by the Chase Center crowd every time he touched the ball but still finished with 12 points and eight assists.
