Big third quarter for Warriors in victory.
Big third quarter helps Golden State pull away for eighth straight win, tie for NBA’s best record
OAKLAND >> In a time of sluggishness and inefficiency, the Warriors jump-started their engine by returning to a remedy that often camouflaged last season’s inconsistency.
The Warriors finished with a 117-101 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies because of a third-quarter blitz. After struggling against the Grizzlies’ grinding and slowtempo style, the Warriors quickly went into overdrive. The Warriors turned a 58-58 halftime tie into a 92-73 cushion entering the fourth quarter en route to an eighth consecutive win and a tie for a leaguebest
10-1 record.
The Warriors scored 14 unanswered points through over two minutes late in the third quarter. The run began with an Alfonzo McKinnie pull-up jumper and ended with a McKinnie 23-footer. In between, Stephen Curry sank a 27-foot 3-pointer, Kevin Durant made a pair of jump shots and Kevon Looney converted on a layup. Meanwhile, Memphis (5-3) finished with a season-low 15 points on 5-of-19 shooting from the field.
All of which helped the Warriors erase their initial struggles against the Grizzlies.
Curry had 19 points, while shooting a rarely inefficient 6-of-17 from the field. Warriors forward Draymond Green missed the entire second half with a right foot contusion. And the Warriors frontcourt in Damian Jones (five) and Jordan Bell (four) became hobbled with foul trouble.
The Warriors compensated elsewhere. Warriors guard Klay Thompson had a team-leading 27 points while shooting 11-of21 from the field and 3-of-7 from 3-point range. Warriors forward Kevin Durant added 22 points on a 7-of-11 clip and a 8-of-8 mark from the free-throw line. And the Warriors dominated in the third period.
That third period ended with both Durant and Curry stopping Wayne Seldon at the rim. After stuffing Seldon, Curry walked toward his teammates that had just cleared the bench. It was as if Curry took over for Green’s absence,
Before then, the Warriors slogged against a Grizzlies team that entered Monday’s game ranked 27th in total offense (104.3 points per game) and relatively efficient in field-goal percentage (44.8 percent) and from the perimeter (ninth at a 37.7 percent clip). Meanwhile, Memphis ranks No.
2 in points allowed (100.3) and 16th in defensive fieldgoal percentage (46.3).
“They don’t try to get up and down. They don’t try to play fast just because that’s the way the league is going,” Durant said beforehand. “They’re not trying to keep up with the fads. They’re just playing their game based off of the players that they have. I respect that as a player.”
• The man did not play one postseason game for the Warriors. He also became hobbled with injuries. But the Warriors still honored Memphis forward Omri Casspi with both a tribute video and a championship ring before Monday’s game.
“I’m really excited about it and really thankful,” said Casspi, who also was sidelined with right knee soreness. “It’s a class act by the Warriors. We all know how grateful I am for that.”
The Warriors waived Casspi before the NBA playoffs started for two reasons. He had missed the previous 10 games with a right ankle injury that showed no signs of healing. With Curry sidelined with a Grade 2 MCL sprain in his left knee, the Warriors became encouraged with Quinn Cook’s emergence at point guard.
Though Casspi appeared tentative with taking 3-point shots, he still averaged 5.7 points on 58 percent shooting in 14 minutes. He also impressed the Warriors with his selfless play and effective cutting.
“I’m glad he’ll be able to be recognized,” Warriors
coach Steve Kerr said. “The circumstances last year were really tough. It’s part of the NBA.”
• With the U.S. midterm elections a day away, Durant had already decided how he will vote.
“I’ll probably mail it in,” he said. “It’s easiest for me. I would like to go in and touch the people a little bit and see what’s going on out there. That would be cool, too.”
Durant, who voted for the first time during the 2008 presidential election, says he enjoys the process.
“It’s exciting because you see so many people just through social media and the news and out in public excited about having the opportunity to change the course of where our country is going through voting,” he said. “It’s good to see us unite.”
• Warriors veteran Shaun Livingston missed a fourth consecutive game because of a sore right knee that Kerr believes Kerr believes will heal by the end of the week. Meanwhile, veteran Andre Iguodala sat for what the team considered rest purposes after nursing a recent injury.
Iguodala’s absence extended his recovery period since the Warriors last played Friday against Minnesota. The Warriors do not play again until against Milwaukee on Thursday.
• Curry appeared motivated to win another trophy, and it wasn’t Larry O’Brien’s. Curry marveled at the U.S. Open Trophy that was brought to the Warriors’ practice facility
following morning shootaround. Curry, an avid golf fan, competed last summer in the Ellie Mae Classic in Hayward.
PGA officials brought the U.S. Open trophy to the Warriors’ facility as part of a ticket promotion for the tournament at Pebble Beach Golf links from June 13-19.