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NBA L2M: Warriors vs. Grizzlies 1:34 PM (2 hours ago)

The film has been reviewed.

The Golden State Warriors had their biggest win of the year on Tuesday night, beating the Memphis Grizzlies 134-125 on the road to leapfrog Memphis and take over the fifth spot in the Western Conference standings. It was a game defined by star performances: Steph Curry dropped in 52 for the Dubs, while Jimmy Butler III had arguably his best game as a Warrior, and Draymond Green notched a triple-double. On the other side, Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Desmond Bane all showed why they are among the league’s best players.

After every close game in the NBA, the film is reviewed. And no, not just by our own Joe Viray, though I recommend that you read his tremendous film breakdown of Tuesday’s action.

It’s also reviewed by the league in the daily Last 2 Minute Report, which looks at every play from the final two minutes of every close game. After poring over the film, the league determines whether all the calls were made accurately, and also checks to see if the non-calls were correctly left alone.

And for Golden State’s big win? The league determined that there’s no controversy. The whistle was blown six times in the final two minutes, with the league deciding that it was the correct call all six times. The refs also identified 12 instances where a non-call needed to be reviewed, and determined that the whistle was correctly swallowed each time. Hooray for no controversy!

The biggest call came just seconds into the final two minutes. With 1:55 remaining in the game, Butler baited Jackson — who at the time had five fouls — into leaving his feet on a pump fake. Butler then went up and drew contact, earning a trip to the free throw line and fouling Jackson out of the game. While Butler was clearly trying to get Jackson to commit a sixth foul, the league determined that he did so very legally, which always seemed to be the case. Here’s how they described the play:

Jackson Jr. (MEM) jumps from point A to point B into Butler III’s (GSW) body, affecting his shot attempt near the rim.

A win is a win is a win ... but it’s also nice when there’s no controversy surrounding it.

Dub Hub: Steph Curry says his ‘tank is pretty full’ after 52-point game vs. Grizzlies 10:00 AM (6 hours ago)

Rounding up all Warriors and NBA related news for Wednesday, April 2nd.

In today’s Dub Hub:

• Steph Curry feels rejuvenated following his 52-point performance against the Grizzlies, says his “tank is pretty full.”
• NBA names Draymond Green March’s Western Conference Defensive Player of the Month.
• Nuggets lose against the Timberwolves in double overtime despite Nikola Jokic’s 61-point performance.

Steph Curry reminded everyone just how dangerous he can be on Tuesday night, dropping 52 points and drilling 12 three-pointers in the Golden State Warriors’ 134-125 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies. It was a statement performance from the two-time MVP, who showed no signs of slowing down despite missing a week at the end of last month with a pelvic contusion.

After the game, Curry made it clear he’s feeling strong heading into the final stretch of the season.

The win not only gave the Warriors a crucial boost in the standings—moving them up to the fifth seed in the West—but also secured the tiebreaker over Memphis with just seven games left in the regular season. With the postseason looming, Curry’s latest masterpiece sends a clear message to the rest of the league: he and the Warriors are ready for the playoff push.

For more on this and other news around the NBA, here is our latest news round-up for Tuesday, April 2nd:

Warriors News:

Steph Curry erupts for 52 points as Warriors win in Memphis to grab fifth seed | The Athletic

On a serious heater, Curry hit his 11th 3 of the night with 18 minutes still left and the game tied at 91. Fourteen was within reach and the competitiveness of the game meant he’d play a majority of the fourth quarter.

This could be the night, he thought.

“First two shots I took in the fourth quarter were a reflection of that,” Curry said. “First touch, shot it in transition. Then went iso left wing. Missed both of those and then I kinda came to reality. Those were the ultimate heat checks even though I just got back in the game.”

Stephen Curry passes Jerry West, pioneers new feat with 52-point, 5-steal night | NBA

Stephen Curry scored 52 points, including 12 3-pointers, to pass Jerry West for 25th on the NBA all-time scoring list while making additional entries in the record books along the way in Golden State’s 134-125 win over Memphis on Tuesday night.

Already the league’s all-time leader in made 3-pointers, Curry now joins the top 25 scorers in NBA history. Reggie Miller, whom Curry passed on in all-time 3s made in 2021, is next up on the all-time scoring list at No. 24. Alex English, Vince Carter,

Kevin Garnett and Russell Westbrook round out the 20-through-25 group.

“I got a little emotional about that,” Curry said of passing West. “It was special. In his memory. What he meant to our organization, the league, to the world of basketball. … That’s the logo.”

What we learned as Steph erupts for 52 in Warriors’ pivotal win over Grizzlies | NBC Sports Bay Area

Luckily for the Warriors, the free-throw line was their best friend. The Warriors were a perfect 28 of 28 at the charity stripe. Butler went 12 of 12, Curry was 8 of 8, Green was 4 of 4, and Hield and Gui Santos each went 2 of 2 on free throws. That’s their most made free throws in a game without a miss in 34 years, last doing so in April of 1991.

Steve Kerr talked pregame about a potential Kevon Looney three-pointer

Draymond Green named Western Conference Defensive Player of the Month

NBA News:

Nikola Jokić scores career-best 61 points in double-overtime loss to Wolves | NBA

Minnesota guard Anthony Edwards gave the three-time Kia MVP major props after the game.

“Nikola Jokić, he might be the best basketball player that I have ever seen close up, besides myself,” cracked Edwards, who had 34 points and 10 rebounds. “He is incredible. The MVP race is tough. I don’t know. He had 60. That is crazy.”

Bucks shoot highest single-game field goal percentage since 1998 | ESPN

Milwaukee snapped a four-game skid by shooting a franchise-record 68.9% (51-of-74) from the floor in a 133-123 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night. No team had shot for that high a percentage in a game since March 13, 1998, when the LA Clippers shot 69.3% (61-of-88) in a 152-120 triumph over the Toronto Raptors.

“I kept saying to my teammates, ‘We’re fighting for our lives. We’re fighting for our lives,’” Antetokounmpo said. “They think I’m joking, but I’m not joking. We’re fighting for our lives right here. Every win counts.”

Updated NBA Playoff Picture following Tuesday’s games

In case you missed it at Golden State of Mind:

Appreciating Steph Curry’s enduring off-ball shot creation — offsetting a noticeable dip in on-ball shot creation

Perhaps the most amazing thing about Curry as he continues plying his trade at age 37 is how he maintains his deadliness off the ball — arguably even more deadly now than it was years ago, when there was an abundance of spryness and youth in Curry’s legs that helped him become an equally deadly on-ball operator, whether as a pick-and-roll ball handler or in isolation. Around 17.5% of the Warriors’ offensive possessions have ended in a Curry shot while darting around a screen away from the ball — during which they’ve scored 1.202 points per possession, an excellent mark per Synergy tracking.

Follow @unstoppablebaby on Twitter for all the latest news on the Golden State Warriors.

‘Steph Curry is the best player in the NBA’ — GSOM reacts to Tuesday’s win 4:00 AM (12 hours ago)

A look at the live fan reactions to Tuesday’s game.

The Golden State Warriors notched their biggest win of the season on Tuesday night, going on the road to beat the Memphis Grizzlies 134-125. It was a playoff atmosphere and a playoff intensity, with playoff implications: with a win, the Dubs moved into the fifth seed, while a loss would have sent them slipping into the play-in tournament seeds.

It was also a dramatic and exciting game, so let’s take a look at how Warriors fans reacted in live time, using comments from the Golden State of Mind game thread.

First quarter: “Oh my god Steph”

The Warriors played beautiful offense early, behind 19 superstar points from Steph Curry. It was their highest-scoring quarter of the year, and they led 45-32 after the opening frame.

Second quarter: “Klay’s record is going down”

Curry continued to drain threes in the second quarter, and made it to halftime with eight of them ... well on pace to break Klay Thompson’s record for most threes made in a game (14). But behind Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr., Memphis’ offense started to figure things out, and they got right back into the game. The Warriors led 74-66 at halftime.

Third quarter: “Fun game!”

The intensity was dialed up a notch in the third quarter. Memphis quickly erased the deficit, and took a lead of their own, but the Warriors responded. Jimmy Butler III put the team on his back, Gui Santos grabbed offensive rebound after offensive rebound, Draymond Green played sensational defense, Curry did his thing, and Kevon Looney even made a three. The teams went back and forth, and it was tied 103-103 going into the fourth.

Fourth quarter: “This dude is timeless”

The teams exchanged blows throughout the final quarter, and Memphis led by four points with about four minutes remaining. But then Curry, Butler, Green, Brandin Podziemski, and Moses Moody all made huge plays as the Warriors controlled the final minutes, ending the game with a 134-125 win.

Post-game: “Vintage Steph!”

When the dust had settled, the Warriors had not only won, but climbed to the fifth seed. Curry had finished with “only” 12 threes en route to 52 points — his second 50-piece of the season, plus 10 rebounds, eight assists, and five steals. Butler had a hilariously efficient 27 points, and Green had a triple-double. A good night at the office all around.

Player grades: Warriors vs. Grizzlies 1 Apr 10:09 PM (18 hours ago)

Assessing every Golden State player’s performance in the team’s 134-125 win over Memphis.

Tuesday night was one of the most exciting and dramatic wins of the season for the Golden State Warriors ... and certainly their most meaningful. They beat the Memphis Grizzlies 134-125 in something of an all-or-nothing game: the win moved the Warriors up from the sixth seed to the fifth seed, while a loss would have dropped them into the play-in tournament seeds.

So let’s judge the players. As always, grades are based on my expectations for each player, with a “B” grade representing the average performance for that player.

Note: True-shooting percentage (TS) is a scoring efficiency metric that accounts for threes and free throws. Entering Tuesday night, league-average TS was 57.6%.

Moses Moody

36 minutes, 10 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, 2 turnovers, 4 fouls, 4-for-8 shooting, 2-for-5 threes, 62.5% TS, +4

Something I was thinking about a lot this game: we probably don’t talk enough about how the Warriors trading Andrew Wiggins was a gigantic show of trust in Moody’s defensive abilities. Even though he’s the small forward (or arguably even the power forward) in the starting five, he gets tasked with defending the best perimeter scorer on the opposing team, night-in and night-out.

Maybe tonight isn’t the night to bring that up, as Ja Morant had an extremely-efficient 36 points, but he also turned the ball over six times and scored primarily by making difficult shots, rather than getting easy ones. Moody made life difficult for Ja — even if he got into some foul trouble — and had one of the biggest shots of the night, a game-clinching three with about 40 seconds remaining.

Grade: B+

Jimmy Butler III

38 minutes, 27 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, 2 turnovers, 1 foul, 7-for-11 shooting, 1-for-2 threes, 12-for-12 free throws, 82.9% TS, +6

Kind of just an absurd game for Jimmy, and one that highlighted why the Warriors acquired him. He scored so efficiently, and did the bulk of his work when Curry was on the bench. He took turns defending seemingly every Grizzlies player. He rolled his ankle in the third quarter and still led all players with 38 minutes of action. He sought out contact to draw Jaren Jackson Jr.’s sixth foul. He played with confidence that inspired his teammates when the Warriors saw their lead shrink, and then disappear. He played with cockiness that taunted his opponent when the game was on the line.

This was the Butler who was the best player on two teams that recently made the NBA Finals. Now he gets to be the second-best player.

Isn’t that interesting...

Grade: A+

Draymond Green

33 minutes, 13 points, 10 rebounds, 12 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 3 turnovers, 4 fouls, 4-for-12 shooting, 1-for-7 threes, 4-for-4 free throws, 47.2% TS, +13

This was a little bit of a throwback to the dynastic Warriors. Draymond notched a triple-double and you might not have even noticed because of the theatrics of his two fellow Hall of Fame-bound teammates.

But he was everywhere, and this was one of the best games he’s had all year in terms of the way he moved the ball. It was some serious point guard control of the system and setup of his teammates.

It wasn’t a flawless game. He didn’t have his best defensive performance against a much larger team, though he was still quite good on that end. Memphis dared him to shoot threes all night, and he obliged with poor results; I don’t fault him for continuing to shoot, since A) it was clearly the game plan and B) he’s been having a decent season shooting, but he obviously is the only one to blame for the poor percentage. He got into a little bit of foul trouble and had a few careless passes.

But a very, very strong game.

Grade: A-
Post-game bonus: Led the team in assists, tied for the team lead in rebounds.

Brandin Podziemski

28 minutes, 8 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 fouls, 4-for-11 shooting, 0-for-4 threes, 36.4% TS, -2

It wasn’t Podziemski’s best game, but he did have arguably the most critical bucket of the night. With just over a minute remaining, and the Warriors clinging to a three-point lead, Steph Curry missed a three. It looked to be a clear rebound for Memphis, but Podziemski soared in over Morant, and tapped it home to give the Dubs a five-point lead and all the momentum. It was a winning play, and nothing defines Podz quite like the regularity with which he makes winning plays.

Overall he didn’t have a very good game, but there’s comfort in knowing that he’ll usually make the right play at the critical moment, no matter what kind of game he’s having.

Grade: C+
Post-game bonus: Worst plus/minus on the team.

Steph Curry

37 minutes, 52 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists, 5 steals, 1 block, 2 turnovers, 2 fouls, 16-for-31 shooting, 12-for-20 threes, 8-for-8 free throws, 75.3% TS, +17

What’s there to say? No, really: what’s there to say? What more is there to say?

I feel like I just have to roll out this clip every time Curry does something magical these days.

This wasn’t a star, or a superstar performance. It was a superduperstar performance. It was one of the best players in the world knowing that the team needed a win, knowing that the environment was hostile, knowing that the star point guard opposing him was going to bring his A-game. It was a message to the rest of the league that there’s no better advantage in the playoffs than to have the best player in the series, and Curry can still be the best player in any series.

Absurd shots. Incredible swagger. Emphatic rebounds. Brilliant passes. Clutch defense.

An all-time great game from an all-time great player.

Grade: A+++
Post-game bonus: Led the team in points, tied for the team lead in rebounds, best plus/minus on the team.

Buddy Hield

20 minutes, 8 points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 turnover, 1 foul, 2-for-7 shooting, 2-for-7 threes, 2-for-2 free throws, 50.8% TS, +6

Not a great game for Hield, and that is a little more noticeable when Jonathan Kuminga is sidelined, so the team doesn’t have a big offensive burst off the bench.

He did a good job of not doing bad things, but simply didn’t do many good things ... though he did have a very clutch shot in the third quarter.

Grade: C

Gui Santos

19 minutes, 4 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 turnover, 4 fouls, 1-for-5 shooting, 0-for-1 threes, 2-for-2 free throws, 34.0% TS, +3

An extremely active game for Santos. He was flying all over the court, often for good (six rebounds in 19 minutes!) and sometimes for bad (four fouls in 19 minutes!). His play at the end of the third quarter, when Curry was on the bench, was vital, as he kept countless possessions alive and his defense helped force turnovers. Still, hard to give a good grade when you foul that frequently and struggle with your shot.

Grade: C+

Quinten Post

20 minutes, 9 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 2 fouls, 3-for-10 shooting, 3-for-9 threes, 45.0% TS, -1

This wasn’t a very good Post game, but it certainly was a reminder that the Warriors really, really trust him. Even with Green the starting five in the new lineup, Post is going to get heavy minutes seemingly every night. He’s far from a finished product, but the Warriors players and coaches clearly trust him to make the right play and hold down the interior defense. It makes it so that even when he has struggles, as he did on Tuesday, he’s still not hurting the team much.

Grade: C

Kevon Looney

10 minutes, 3 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 foul, 1-for-4 shooting, 1-for-1 threes, 37.5% TS, -1

After a four-year hiatus, Looney made a three for the second consecutive game. And if that doesn’t put a smile on your face, I don’t know what will.

Grade: B-

Tuesday’s DNP-CDs: Trayce Jackson-Davis, Kevin Knox II, Pat Spencer

Tuesday’s inactives: Taran Armstrong, Braxton Key, Jonathan Kuminga, Gary Payton II, Jackson Rowe

Appreciating Steph Curry’s enduring off-ball shot creation — offsetting a noticeable dip in on-ball shot creation 1 Apr 9:49 PM (18 hours ago)

Curry dropped 52 points to help the Warriors climb to fifth in the Western Conference.

Few players sow fear and confusion with as little time on the ball as possible quite like Steph Curry does, a statement that’s been a fact for a decade. Curry makes use of the court like no other superstar that has preceded him — and, safe to say, like no superstar that will come after him, at least for the foreseeable future. Zero in on Curry in the midst of his shooting form and he exudes calm and poise, despite a platoon of defenders making panicked closeouts paired with all sorts of funky methods to shove him off-kilter (“shove” in this instance being used in the figurative and literal manner). If not for Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green (more on them later), it wouldn’t be farfetched to say that Curry damn near did everything for the Golden State Warriors tonight.

Whether that was flying for the defensive rebound after boxing out Jaylen Wells, maintaining his dribble, and making use of Green’s drag screen to shake Wells off of him and attack Zach Edey’s drop coverage...

... or scoring, assisting, and garnering steals in passing lanes, Curry put up a gargantuan stat line in the Warriors’ crucial 134-125 win over the Memphis Grizzlies: 52 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 assists on 16-of-31 shooting from the field — 12-of-20 on threes — and a 75.3% True Shooting mark, to go along with 6 “stocks” (steals plus blocks).

Curry is a weapon in transition because of the threat of his unlimited-range pull-up threes. Defenses throw out all sorts of coverages in desperation in order to get the ball out of his hands — in other words, no matter who Curry’s surrounded with, whether it’s Kevin Durant or Jacob Evans III, the name of the game is quite simple: “Anyone but Steph Curry.”

Which is why Curry on the ball — while valuable and potent — has often taken a backseat to Curry off the ball. He starts plenty of possessions without the rock in his hands, but has also blended in possessions where he touches the ball to initiate, sees defenses sell out on him, and passes out of a potentially sticky situation.

Only for him to start his movement after making a pass — during which, as the great Doris Burke often says, the “real game” begins:

Perhaps the most amazing thing about Curry as he continues plying his trade at age 37 is how he maintains his deadliness off the ball — arguably even more deadly now than it was years ago, when there was an abundance of spryness and youth in Curry’s legs that helped him become an equally deadly on-ball operator, whether as a pick-and-roll ball handler or in isolation. Around 17.5% of the Warriors’ offensive possessions have ended in a Curry shot while darting around a screen away from the ball — during which they’ve scored 1.202 points per possession, an excellent mark per Synergy tracking.

That has been a more efficient play type for Curry in comparison to him as a ball handler in pick-and-roll situations, during which the Warriors have scored 1.060 points per possession (including possessions in which Curry passes to either the roll-man or a third teammate) — still an excellent mark relative to the rest of the league. Isolations, on the other hand, have been low in volume (154 possessions) and have been lower in efficiency relative to the aforementioned play types (0.902 PPP) although it’s by no means inefficient.

When comparing Curry’s combined isolation/pick-and-roll volume with his efficiency as a shot creator, it’s hard to pick Curry out from the list — if he’s even on the list to begin with, given that his on-ball creation volume has seemingly dipped relative to other main creators in the league:

In Curry’s limited reps as an on-ball creator this season, his efficiency (measured in True Shooting percentage, or TS%) has seen a significant dip, all while maintaining his stratospheric efficiency on off-ball play types (i.e., spot-ups, handoffs, off screens, cuts, transition, etc.).

As the informative Twitter account above put it (a worthwhile follow), it may just be an “unlucky” year for Curry. But we must also take into account his age, the increase in frequency of ailments and injuries, and the undeniable-yet-sullen fact that he may be entering the twilight of his career. To compound those realities, Curry is still being guarded with the same kind of force, urgency, and aggression — by defenders that are getting much younger than him, much lengthier, and increasing in levels of athleticism and audacity.

As such, having the likes of Butler and Green alongside him to relieve the burden placed upon his shoulders on a nightly basis is becoming quite the luxury — while also being a paramount need. Butler, who finished the game with 27 points on a perfect 12-of-12 clip on free throws and 82.9% TS, has been especially valuable as an on-ball screener for Curry.

Meanwhile, Green’s decade-long chemistry with Curry has created an all-time mind meld between an all-time offensive threat and a player with the passing skills to boost it. As always, Green is one half of the recipe to counter the countless top-locking Curry sees on a near-nightly basis, especially against the Grizzlies, who employed Wells and Scottie Pippen Jr. as Curry’s designated “huggers.”

“I thought about their style (of) trying to junk up the game on defense, top-locks, and trying to send me into the paint, traffic and all of that,” Curry told reporters after the game. “We had a counter to that to start the game.

Curry is perhaps the league’s greatest top-lock counterpuncher, a product of having to deal with such a coverage for virtually his entire career as a superstar of the highest billing. But Green is the unsung hero behind Curry’s top-lock-beating exploits, not only because he forces his man (often the opposing defensive anchor whenever Green is the small-ball five) to have to decide whether to sag off or actively defend the ball — his passing acumen makes him perhaps the only one who can thread the ball through the tightest of windows.

Curry’s counters to top-locking ranged from improvised situations like the one above, to drawn-up set pieces out of a timeout that had Curry be a seemingly uninvolved party in the Warriors’ patented split action — quite an unusual setup. However, it was with purpose: with Curry being top-locked voraciously by Pippen on the weak-side corner, the split cuts are but window dressing for Curry to sneak along the baseline and receive the pass from Green, who has Edey preoccupied with having to defend him in the post instead of protecting the rim:

In contrast, when Edey elects to leave Green alone to shut off the paint while Wells continues to top-lock and hug Curry, Green already has a response in mind: bringing the ball down, positioning himself between Wells and Curry, and handing off the ball to Curry while walling off Wells. Edey quickly realizes that his decision to leave Green unmarked is used against him, unable to close Curry’s space (and doesn’t even bother to try):

Informed by the data and the film above, Curry has seen his lowest number of average seconds per touch in five seasons: 4.11. Opponents have been more successful at not letting Curry touch the ball and dictate things at the point of attack. That has compounded the importance of his off-ball shot creation, at the expense of his on-ball creation, which has suffered a dip in efficiency. Nevertheless, if the Warriors are to see success in the playoffs, that trend cannot continue. Fortunately for them, Curry and the Warriors are more equipped to punish teams who choose to drink the poison of being in constant rotation.

Steph Curry dons cape, leads Warriors to biggest win of the year 1 Apr 7:37 PM (20 hours ago)

The biggest win of the year.

The Golden State Warriors are at the point in the NBA season — and the place in the standings — where every day can change the playoff seedings. And that was triple true on Tuesday night, as they paid a visit to their old friends the Memphis Grizzlies.

When the night began, the Warriors were sitting in the sixth seed, but they were just a half-game behind the fifth seed ... and a half-game ahead of both the seventh and eighth seeds. And best of all? The fifth seed ahead of them? The Grizzlies.

With a win, the Warriors would sneak into the fifth slot. With a loss, they would slide down to the seventh spot ... unless the Minnesota Timberwolves won their game, in which case the Dubs would drop to the eighth seed. There were three places they could end the night, and none of them were the position where they started.

Such is the case with the end of the regular season right around the corner.

Needless to say, with so much at stake, Tuesday night was not just one of the biggest games of the year, but the biggest, to date. By far.

And the Dubs delivered, knocking off the Grizzlies 134-125 in one of the most thrilling contests of the season.

There were reasons for both optimism and pessimism when the game began. On the former front, Golden State was facing a Memphis team that is free-falling: the Grizzlies had lost six of their last seven games (though their schedule was brutal), and had shockingly fired their head coach. On the pessimistic front, the Grizzlies have so much to play for still, always seem to take matchups against the Warriors personally, and had embarrassed the Dubs with a 51-point win the last time they convened at FedEx Forum.

It was clear from the opening tip that both teams were there to play. Each squad knew what was at stake, and brought all their energy and attitude. But for the Warriors, that energy simply translated into more success. Their activity resulted in endless ball movement, while the Grizzlies were going heavy on isolation with lesser results. Draymond Green led the fast-paced offensive charge early, and then Steph Curry took over. It started with Curry draining threes on back-to-back possessions, giving the Warriors a 22-14 lead before the halfway mark of the quarter, forcing a Grizzlies timeout. A few minutes later, Quinten Post nailed a three to push the lead to double-digits, which was followed by a fourth Curry three. A few possessions after that, it was a 33-18 lead, and Memphis needed another timeout.

It seemed like a blowout might be on the way, as the ball was flying around Memphis’ defense, Curry was dominating, and the bench was providing energy. They pushed the lead to 17 before the Grizzlies finally recovered, aided by Golden State’s offense turning cold when Curry hit the bench. But Steph returned for the final minute of action, and drained a three to cap off the Dubs’ highest-scoring quarter of the season, giving them a 45-32 lead. It was their 16th 40-point quarter this year and, remarkably, their third in the last five frames. Curry had 19 in the opening quarter, and life was good.

But Memphis wasn’t going down without a fight. There’s no love lost between the two teams, and with so much on the line — plus a loud home crowd — the Grizzlies were hell bent on making it a game. They drained threes on back-to-back possessions to start the scoring, and then Ja Morant started to take over.

The Warriors, however, weren’t going to just give back the lead. Even with Curry on the bench, they kept the offense moving behind brilliance from Jimmy Butler III, who made clutch shot after clutch shot. But Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. kept chipping away at the lead, and the Warriors started to unravel. They lost some composure, and started to see the fouls and poor possessions accumulate. Memphis got into the bonus before the halfway mark of the quarter and, thanks to a big run, cut the lead to two points just past the six-minute mark.

That seemed to awaken the Dubs, who locked in and stole the momentum back. Curry returned and was again dominating on offense, while Green led a defensive charge that was both scrappy and disciplined. Curry started a two-for-one with an arrogantly-deep three, and the Warriors punctuated the half with a stop, giving them a 74-66 lead at the break. Curry had been nothing short of unstoppable, scoring 32 points on 11-for-16 shooting, including 8-for-10 from deep, prompting Post — who drew the halftime interview assignment — to hilarious ask Bob Fitzgerald and Kelenna Azubuike why they were interviewing him instead of Curry. Butler was no slouch in the first half either, with 15 points on 5-for-6 shooting, and a perfect 4-for-4 from the line. But Morant and Jackson had scored 30 efficient points of their own, keeping Memphis in striking distance.

It was game on in the second half. The Warriors were executing decently, but Memphis scored the first six points before Curry nailed a three stop the bleeding. Curry and Morant, two of the best point guards in the league, were locked in a battle and each seemed to be taking it personally. At one point they exchanged wild blows, with Morant making a lean-in 20-footer while drawing a foul on Curry, which Steph responded to with an off-balance, contested three, causing Morant to fire back with a three of his own.

Suddenly the game felt like the late rounds of a boxing match, with the teams exchanging blow after blow, surviving on heart alone. Before the halfway mark was reached, Jackson dropped in a floater to give the Grizzlies their first lead since the opening minutes, and soon the Warriors trailed by four.

But that only made the Warriors fight harder, in every aspect of the game, while Curry started to build buzz that he might break the record held by Klay Thompson for most threes in a game (14). There were offensive rebounds and steals galore towards the end of the quarter, and even a Kevon Looney three (just one game after breaking a four-year drought from deep). Gui Santos showed up with huge minutes while Curry was resting, and the Warriors re-took the lead, before a sloppy final minute made it a 103-103 tie heading into the fourth quarter. The most important 12 minutes of the year were upon us.

Not surprisingly, neither team could gain control. They traded shot for shot — metaphorically speaking, as both teams had gone cold. When Curry returned from the bench with eight minutes remaining, the Dubs led 109-107.

Nothing was easy for either team, but the Warriors, with a little more veteran savvy and a little more depth, were able to find just a little more than Memphis could. They finally built up a four-point lead with just over five minutes remaining, but the Grizzlies returned fire, flipping it to a four-point Memphis lead with less than four minutes remaining.

But the final minutes — where the Dubs struggled for so much of the year — were all Golden State’s. A Curry three — his 12th of the night — gave him a 50-piece and the team the lead with just under three minutes remaining. Jackson responded with a layup to give Memphis a one-point lead but Butler was fouled on back-to-back possessions — bookending a stop — and not only made all four free throws but fouled out Jackson in the process.

And then came the defining sequence. After Scotty Pippen Jr. missed a three, Curry attempted a dagger three ... he missed, but Brandin Podziemski flew in over Morant to tip the ball in, pushing the lead to five points with 1:11 remaining. The Dubs forced a Morant turnover on the other end, leading to a Moses Moody corner three. The Warriors led by eight with 40 seconds left, and all that was left was to not throw the game away, and make a few free throws.

They succeeded in that mission, and the result was the biggest win of the year, a 134-125 road triumph that moved them up to the fifth seed, and set them up for a massive showdown against the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night.

Curry had one of the most impressive performances of the season — for any player — finishing with 52 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists, five steals, and one block, while shooting 16-for-31 from the field and 12-for-20 on threes. Butler had a hilariously efficient night, amassing 27 points on 7-for-11 shooting and 12-for-12 free throws, along with six rebounds, four assists, and three steals. And just for good measure, Green ended with a triple-double of 13 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists, while also adding two steals and a block.

It was clearly a night for stars, as most big games are. Morant dropped 36 for the Grizzlies, while Jackson had 22 and Desmond Bane 19. I’d say “not to be outdone,” but, well ... Memphis was outdone.

What a night.

How to watch Warriors vs. Grizzlies 1 Apr 4:04 PM (yesterday, 4:04 pm)

Golden State basketball is on the way! Come join our game thread and chat about tonight’s matchup here.

The Golden State Warriors take on the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday night for a pivotal Western Conference showdown. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:00PM PT in Memphis and can be watched on NBC Sports Bay Area.

Previously with the Warriors:

Golden State is riding a two-game winning streak after a statement 148-106 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday—their highest-scoring performance of the season. Second-year guard Brandin Podziemski stole the show, dropping 27 points with a career-high seven made threes.

Moses Moody added 20 points, while Buddy Hield contributed 19 in the blowout win. The lopsided score allowed Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler to rest the entire fourth quarter, with none of them exceeding 26 minutes of action.

What to watch for tonight:

Tuesday’s matchup against the Grizzlies carries significant playoff implications. The Warriors (currently the sixth seed) trail Memphis by just half a game for the fifth seed in the Western Conference standings. A win would not only push Golden State ahead but also clinch the tiebreaker between the two teams as they lead the season series, 2-1.

Memphis has been in freefall since the sudden firing of head coach Taylor Jenkins last Friday. The Grizzlies are 0-2 under interim coach Tuomas Iisalo and now face a surging Warriors squad looking to capitalize on their struggles.

While Golden State might be without Jonathan Kuminga, who is listed as questionable with a pelvic contusion suffered against the Spurs, the Warriors should still have enough firepower on both ends to take advantage of a reeling Memphis team.

Enjoy the game Dub Nation. GO WARRIORS!!!

Projected Starters

Warriors: Steph Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Jimmy Butler, Moses Moody, Draymond Green

Grizzlies: Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, Jaylen Wells, Jaren Jackson Jr., Zach Edey

How to watch Regular Season Game 75

Who: Golden State Warriors (43 - 31) vs. Memphis Grizzlies (44 - 31)

When: Tuesday, April 1st, at 5:00 p.m. PT

Where: FedExForum, Memphis, Tennessee

TV: NBC Sports Bay Area (available on fuboTV)

Draymond Green wins Defensive Player of the Month 1 Apr 3:32 PM (yesterday, 3:32 pm)

The Warriors’ defensive anchor took home the DPOTM award after leading the Western Conference’s second-best defense in March.

The Golden State Warriors finished the month of March with an 11-4 record and a defensive rating of 109.7. As a reward for the team’s stingy defense, the NBA rewarded the captain of the defense, Draymond Green, with the Western Conference Defensive Player of the Month award.

Green was the most important player on an improved defense that has transformed the arc of the Warriors’ season. In March, Green turned up his shot-blocking, averaging 1.9 per game, to go along with 0.9 steals. He contested 9.1 shots per game, while also recovering a loose ball two out of every three games.

Should we watch a super-cut of Green’s best defensive moments this season? Let’s!

The Warriors’ newfound lockdown defense is a big reason that Green has become the betting favorite to win the Defensive Player of the Year trophy, slightly favored over Evan Mobley of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Green had a master class on defense against Giannis Antetokounmpo when the Warriors defeated the Milwaukee Bucks without Steph Curry on March 18. The Warriors held the Greek Freak to five field goals, and Antetokounmpo didn’t score at all when guarded by Green.

If the Warriors keep locking teams down and Green keeps swatting away shots, he has an excellent chance to become the oldest Defensive Player of the Year winner in NBA history. Green turned 35 in early March, while Dikembe Mutombo was just shy of his 35th birthday when he won the award in the 2000-01 season.

Perhaps more notable than the DPOM trophy (probably not a trophy) is that Green has only been ejected from a single game this season. That lone ejection was highly questionable, happening in the waning moments of a Warriors win over the Memphis Grizzlies. Green got his second technical for complaining about a terrible foul call on Moses Moody, but it only affected Green’s bank account, not the outcome of the game.

While Green deserves his award, the Warriors defense was great overall. Gary Payton II and Moses Moody dominated the NBA’s hustle stats, combining for 6.8 deflections and two loose balls recovered per game. Brandin Podziemski drew four charges in nine games, while Jonathan Kuminga had a team-best 41.5% defended field goal percentage.

He’s got a DPOTM. The next eight games are Green’s closing argument for the big award.