This is a continuation of the halftime recap of the Golden State Warriors at the Memphis Grizzlies, Game 6.
The Warriors took a 58-49 lead into the third quarter.
3RD QUARTER: Steph Erases Grizzlies’ Grind
The Grizzlies took the first punch in the first half and punched back to start the third frame.
Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph (aka “Z-Bo”) exerted the strength down low, getting buckets and drawing fouls, slowly clawing the Grizzlies back. After Z-Bo got an inside bucket, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr took a timeout with 6:32 to go and the Dubs’ lead dwindled down to 61-57.
Draymond Green had a rough quarter, getting called for traveling while driving down the lane after the timeout, then getting called for a shooting foul against Gasol on a turn-and-shoot.
The only scoring Golden State got was an early three by Curry…
https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js
…and a jumper swish by Klay Thompson, as Memphis slowed things down and grinded out points, little by little, although Bogut got a massive swat on Randolph.
https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js
Green got blocked by Gasol, then Z-Bo received an entry from Gasol on the other end and turned around and scored a lefty layup, shielding his body away from David Lee. That closed the gap to 63-60 in favor of the Warriors.
Steph then lost the ball on the right side as Z-Bo dove for it, and a Jeff Green take right to left into the lane that should have been a charge was called a blocking foul on Draymond, giving him four personals and forcing him to the bench.
https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js
Kerr took a timeout in between free throws, the second of which drew the Grizzlies to a slim 63-62 deficit with 3:55 remaining.
A Harrison Barnes dribble-and-pop over Jeff Green seemed to spark Golden State, as Andre Iguodala got a cross-court pass from the right wing by Curry and drained a trey from the deep left wing to give the Warriors some newfound momentum, 68-64, with 2:36 to go.
https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js
After Gasol missed the next shot, Steph ran pick-and-roll with Festus Ezeli, who had come in to defend Randolph, and Ezeli cruised down the open lane for the two-hand jam assisted by Curry.
The Grizzlies answered back with an inside bucket by Z-Bo fed by Courtney Lee driving hard left baseline, but Iguodala got a hand-off from Steph and was fouled by the lunging Gasol for a three-pointer, and-one.
https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js
Iguodala missed the free throw, and after Kosta Koufos sneaked down the lane for a putback over Barnes of Gasol’s missed jumper, Barnes missed a dribble-and-pop J and an open three-pointer from the top as the quarter closed out.
With the clock winding down, Jeff Green took Barnes’ miss down the floor, attempted a three, but Iguodala got a hand on it and the ball squeaked out to Curry, about a yard away to the left.
Steph launched from 52 feet, right before the buzzer sounded, and the miracle shot went in!
https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js
https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js
https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js
That gave the Warriors a 76-68 lead heading into the final frame, virtually erasing a good amount of work the Grizzlies had done to climb back.
4TH QUARTER: Curry Stamps Out Grizzlies With Dagger Threes
Harrison Barnes opened the quarter with a quick baseline turnaround out of a post-up, and Iguodala strengthened the Warriors rally with a swish from deep following a tough missed shot from Gasol.
Koufos tried a floater but couldn’t hit and that led to Livingston driving the lane and drawing a foul. He hit both free throws to push the Warriors lead to 83-68.
Conley hit a jumper from the left side the next trip down but Livingston attacked again, this time netting a reverse lay-in just before Gasol came barrelling down the lane to send it away, making the score 85-70 with 9:53 to play.
Koufos tipped back a Gasol miss, giving him 8 points and 7 rebounds for the game, but Barnes came up big once again, connecting with a square up jumper, to make it 87-72 with 8:31 to play.
Out of a timeout, Bogut played fantastic defense on Gasol, forcing him to launch a shot over the backboard…
https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js
…but the Warriors turned the ball over and Carter scored in transition.
Conley brought the game a bit closer by making two free throws after Barnes split, then shook loose for a floater after using a screen to get around Thompson. A Courtney Lee jumper brought the game to 88-80 Warriors with just over 5 minutes to play.
That’s when the Warriors caught fire behind Curry. First Steph hit a step-back from deep that swished through the net…
https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js
…then scored from the corner after being found by Igoudala.
The Grizzlies continued to answer with points as well. Conley got Bogut for his fifth foul on an up-fake then banked in the runner for the three-point play.
But Draymond Green got in on the three-point party…
https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js
…followed by a third Curry trey to make it four in a row for the Warriors…
https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js
https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js
…Z-Bo added a score inside and the score was 100-87 Warriors with 3:36 to play.
Gasol hit two from the free throw line, followed by a contested two the Curry somehow got to go, making it 102-89.
https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js
Courtney Lee got a good look off an extra pass by the Grizz to cut the lead back to 102-92.
Gasol drew a questionable 6th foul on Bogut with 1:30 left, but missed both free throws. Randolph exited the game for good to a standing ovation from the crowd and the Grizzlies seemed content to let time run out, as Draymond Green created two extra opportunites with offensive rebounds, then finished the play with a foul at the rim.
Carter hit a meaningless three then fouled Curry on the inbounds with just over 30 seconds to play. Steph hit both free throws.
Another Grizzly miss led to two more free throws to Klay, giving the Warriors the 108-95 victory, advancing them to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 1976.
Curry led all scoreres with 32 including 8 made 3PTers to go with 10 assists and 6 rebounds. Off the bench, Iguodala added 9 points (all off 3PTers), 7 assists and 6 rebounds.
Draymond Green had another double-double with 16 pts and 12 boards, and Thompson added 20 points, 8 rebounds and three assists. Also chipping in were Harrison Barnes with 13 points and Livingston with 10 more off the bench.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
