Grizzlies 108, Warriors 90
MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- The Memphis Grizzlies returned to their dominating post play Saturday night at FedExForum and beat the Golden State Warriors 108-90.
Power forward Zach Randolph led the way with 23 points and 11 rebounds as all five Grizzlies starters and former NBA Sixth Man of the Year Mike Miller scored in double-figures. Point guard Mike Conley scored 20 with six assists, center Marc Gasol scored 18, Miller had 15 (he was 4-for-5 from 3-point range), shooting guard Tony Allen had 12, and small forward Tayshaun Prince 10.
Memphis outscored the Warriors 54 to 18 on points in the paint and beat them for the 10th straight time. The Warriors (4-3) have not defeated the Grizzlies (3-3) in three years -- or since Nov. 3, 2010, at Golden State. Power forward David Lee fouled out with 8:59 to play; he scored 13 points and had nine rebounds. Point guard Stephen Curry led the Warriors with 22 points, including going 4-for-10 from 3-point range. Swingman Andre Iguodala finished with 19 points and shooting guard Klay Thompson had 12.
The Warriors came in shooting 45.1 percent from behind the arc, the second-best mark in the NBA. They hit 10-of-29 for 34.5 percent against Memphis. They also were on the second night of a back-to-back -- they lost in San Antonio Friday when Curry did not play because of a sore ankle -- and in the fourth and last game of a road trip.
Memphis led 54-50 at the half, but the Warriors closed the half on a 10-run to get the lead down from 14 at the 2:40 mark. Curry had five of those points, hitting a 12-foot turnaround jumper and one of his three first-half 3-point shots. He had 17 points on 5-for-10 shooting from the floor in the first half.
Randolph almost had a first-half double-double for the Grizzlies with 14 points and eight rebounds. Both teams shot just under 49 percent for the half and the Warriors hit 5-of-11 3-point shots (45.5 percent).
NOTES: Golden State G Klay Thompson's shooting ability is well-known, but when a reporter asked Warriors coach Mark Jackson during pre-game about Thompson showing drastic defensive improvement from last season to this season, Jackson took exception. "Well, I disagree with that," Jackson said. "I thought he was an elite defender last year. He's the guy we put on people all year long, whether it be ones, twos or threes. People fall in love with his ability to shoot the basketball, don't pay as much attention to what he's doing on the other end." ... Going into Saturday night's game, the Grizzlies had beaten Golden State eight straight times in Memphis. The Warriors last won here on April 4, 2008. ... Through five games the Grizzlies had blocked 16 shots, the fewest of any team in the league. ... Grizzlies reserve G Jerryd Bayless was out with right knee sprain Saturday night.
