Grizzlies Dominate Warriors For 6th Straight Victory
MEMPHIS (CBS/AP) -- Marc Gasol and Tony Allen scored 19 points each and the Memphis Grizzlies rolled over the Golden State Warriors 110-89 on Saturday night for their sixth straight win.
The Grizzlies led by as many as 30 points in the second half -- the biggest advantage by any Warriors opponent this season. Seven Memphis players finished in double figures.
Kevin Durant led Golden State with 21 points, while Stephen Curry added 17 points and Ian Clark finished with 10 points. Curry and backcourt starter Klay Thompson (eight points) were a combined 8 of 28 from the field, including 3 of 14 outside the arc.
Memphis had a double-digit lead early, led 61-38 at halftime and kept building in the third quarter.
Golden State ended a four-game winning streak. The Warriors had won 16 of 17, the lone loss in the stretch coming 132-127 in double overtime to Houston on Dec. 1
Warriors coach Steve Kerr called his starters to the bench with 10 minutes left and Memphis leading 93-65.
It was just one of those rare nights for Golden State, which entered with the league's best record at 20-3. The Warriors had a season-low in points, a season-high in turnovers (23) and were close to their season low in shooting percentage (44.2 percent).
Memphis pulled away early while the Warriors struggled mightily from the field, and the Grizzlies led by 18 after the first quarter.
By the midpoint of the second quarter, Curry and Thompson were a combined 2 of 10 before finishing the half 4 of 18, including 1 of 8 from outside the arc.
Golden State's 38 first-half points were its fewest in any half this season.
The lead ballooned to 68-38 when Memphis scored the first seven points of the second half, and the Grizzlies held an 87-65 lead after three quarters.
A major run by Golden State never really came, and by the early minutes of the fourth, Kerr had seen enough and pulled his starters, letting the reserves ride out the final 10 minutes.
TIP-INS
Warriors: C Zaza Pachulia was a late scratch with a right wrist contusion. Anderson Varejao started his first game of the season (and first with Golden State) in place of Pachulia. ... Golden State started the game making only one of its first nine shots. ... Damian Jones made his NBA debut in the fourth. Jones was selected with the 30th overall pick out of Vanderbilt in last summer's draft. ... Golden State's previous low for points in a half was 46 in the first half against San Antonio on opening night. ... Curry's 3-pointer in the third quarter tied him with Steve Nash for 17th career in 3-point field goals.
Grizzlies: Gasol made a 3-pointer in the third quarter. The 7-foot-1 center has now made a shot from outside the arc in eight of the last nine games. ... JaMychal Green (14 points, 10 rebounds) recorded his fifth consecutive double-double.
CELEBRATING IAN
Clark had his high school number retired Friday night at Germantown High in a Memphis suburb. Clark, who attended college at Belmont, is the only former Germantown player to make the NBA. Several teammates, including Durant, Draymond Green and Curry, attended the ceremonies.
UP NEXT
Warriors: Continue a five-game trip at Minnesota on Sunday. The five-game swing matches the longest stretch away from home for Golden State this season.
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