(Photo: from Julie Phayer’s Instagram)
The Golden State Warriors started out strong, maintained their edge for 48 minutes, of which Stephen Curry played 45, the #SplashBrothers returned to atone for Klay Thompson measly 5 points last Friday night at the Houston Rockets, the losing streak to the Memphis Grizzlies at Fedex Forum, dating back since 2008, was broken, and Steph broke Jason Richardson‘s GSW record of career three-pointers made. Oh yeah, the Warriors finally won on the road on the second night of a back-to-back, albeit against a team facing similar injury problems.
Here’s Monte Poole with the summary of game-winning play:
Thompson started fast, hitting five of his first six shots, scoring 11 points in the first seven minutes and 16 in the opening quarter. His urgency was no coincidence, not after an abysmal performance Friday night in Houston, where he was scoreless in the first half and finished with 5 points and three turnovers.
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Stephen Curry also rebounded from a subpar performance, turning in 22 points and 15 assists, with only one turnover. He also eclipsed Jason Richardson as the franchise leader in 3-point field goals with 701.
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The victory was the Warriors’ first this season to come on the second night of back-to-back games.
Poole added this later:
The Warriors had lost 11 consecutive games to Memphis, leaving each time with bumps and bruises as souvenirs. No one on the roster had won in Memphis while wearing a Warriors jersey. This was about slaying a familiar dragon, even if it was limping, so it’s absolutely significant.
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“The Memphis Grizzlies were a team that we needed to beat,” said David Lee, who bounced back from an awful game on Friday to deliver 23 points and 11 rebounds.
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“I’d be lying if I said it didn’t (have significance),” coach Mark Jackson said. “It’s been a long time coming. These new guys here, they don’t know the history. People talk about the San Antonio (losing) streak and all of that – that’s not our history. This is the one streak that’s ours. We own it. And it’s very refreshing and means a lot to come here and get a `W.’ ”
Rusty Simmons noted the strong defensive performance. Andrew Bogut did a good job on Zach Randolph, in particular, while, as we reported, Lee covered Kosta Koufos:
…the Warriors limited Zach Randolph to 6-of-13 shooting, Mike Conley to 4-of-12 from the field and Memphis to a season-low 36.5 percent.
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Stephen Curry finished with 22 points, 15 assists and six rebounds and just one turnover, Klay Thompson bounced back from a 2-for-10 night with 30 points on 12-of-19 shooting, and Andrew Bogut added eight points, 12 rebounds and two blocked shots.
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The resounding response had to feel especially good to the Warriors, who hadn’t won in Memphis since April 4, 2008. To put that in perspective, no current Golden State player had ever before won in Memphis while wearing a Warriors uniform.
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The Grizzlies played without Defensive Player of the Year Marc Gasol (left medial collateral ligament sprain) and all-league defender Tony Allen (sore right hip), and they lost Quincy Pondexter to a foot sprain before the second half…
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