In a stunning display of dominance, the surging Memphis Grizzlies absolutely demolished the slumping Golden State Warriors 144-93 on Thursday night, handing the defending champions their worst loss of the season. The Grizzlies, winners of 11 of their last 13, smothered the Dubs on defense and caught fire from three, drilling a franchise-record 27 triples.
Curry and Green Held Scoreless
Most shockingly, Memphis held Warriors stars Stephen Curry and Draymond Green without a single field goal between them for the first time in their illustrious careers together. The Grizzlies’ swarming defense frustrated Curry into just 2 points on 0-for-7 shooting, his most attempts ever without a make.
Green, plagued by foul trouble, went scoreless in 19 minutes and posted a ghastly minus-42 plus/minus. When informed of their dubious shooting feat, a stunned Curry could only manage: “First time for everything, right? That’s crazy… They did a good job. Give them some credit.”
Historic Margin of Victory
The 51-point margin represented the largest victory in the NBA this season and one of the most lopsided results in recent memory. The Grizzlies raced out to an early 13-2 lead and never looked back, pushing the advantage to a massive 46 points by the time Kerr pulled his starters late in the 3rd quarter.
“It was just a humbling night all around… They took it to us.”
Steve Kerr, Warriors Head Coach
Warriors Woes Continue
For the flailing Warriors, losers of 9 of their last 11, this beatdown marked a new low in a frustrating season. After a promising 12-3 start, Golden State has come crashing back to earth, struggling to generate offense late in games. But this historic thrashing exposed issues on both ends.
- The 144 points allowed were the most by a Warriors team under Steve Kerr
- The Dubs shot a paltry 36% from the field and 22% from three
- Golden State committed 22 turnovers leading to 34 Grizzlies points
Kerr tried shaking things up by starting newly acquired guard Dennis Schroder, but he made little impact, shooting 2-for-12 for 5 points. Despite the embarrassment, Kerr remains confident his battle-tested group will respond, noting “I know who we are. I know we’ve got competitors… We’re going to regroup.”
Grizzlies on the Rise
Meanwhile, Memphis solidified their status as a rising power in the West. With their high-octane offense and league-leading defense firing on all cylinders, the confident Grizz look primed to make some serious noise come playoff time.
“I like the vibes way better right now… We are better than what we have shown.”
Stephen Curry on the Warriors’ outlook going forward
The Warriors won’t have to wait long for a shot at redemption, as they visit the Timberwolves on Saturday. Green boldly proclaimed “I expect us to respond,” but it remains to be seen if the Dubs can emerge from rock bottom and recapture their championship form. One thing’s for certain – the young Grizzlies aren’t going anywhere.
