Grizzlies 88, Warriors 81 (OT)
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Mike Conley sank a 3-pointer to break a tie with 1:36 remaining in overtime as the Memphis Grizzlies outlasted the Golden State Warriors 88-81 Wednesday night to complete a 4-0 California swing.
In recording their fourth win in six nights, the Grizzlies overcame a 12-point, first-half deficit en route to their 11th consecutive victory over Golden State.
Forward Tayshaun Prince buried two jumpers in the final 55.3 seconds of overtime as the Grizzlies pulled away to hand the Warriors their first home defeat in six games.
The Grizzlies (7-5) beat the Los Angeles Lakers, Sacramento Kings, Los Angeles Clippers and Warriors on their California journey, piecing together their first 4-0 trip since 2004.
Both teams played without starting guards. The Warriors were missing point guard Stephen Curry, who suffered a concussion Monday night in Utah. The Grizzlies had to go without shooting guard Tony Allen, suspended by the NBA for one game as the result of a Flagrant-2 foul and ejection Monday night against the Clippers.
Big men Zach Randolph (21 points, 12 rebounds) and Marc Gasol (18 points, 11 rebounds) both recorded double-doubles for the Grizzlies. Conley had five of his 19 points in the five-minute overtime session.
Klay Thompson led the Warriors (8-4) with 21 points. Power forward David Lee added 18 and small forward Harrison Barnes had 16. Center Andrew Bogut contributed a 12-point, 14-rebound double-double.
The Golden State bench accounted for just seven points, while Memphis' reserves totaled 16.
Neither team scored in the final 2:02 of regulation.
The Grizzlies had two chances to break a 75-75 tie on their final possession, but Gasol misfired from the left block and Randolph failed to convert a tip with nine seconds left.
The Warriors opted to push the ball up the floor without a timeout, and Andre Iguodala couldn't connect on a tough 18-footer just before the horn.
Iguodala, starting at point guard in Curry's place, suffered through a 3-for-14, seven-point night, though he handed out 14 assists.
The Warriors took a 75-73 lead with 3:16 to go following an unusual sequence in which Thompson rebounded his own missed free throw.
Thompson made the first to tie the game at 73, then raced in to corral the second when it bounced off the rim.
The ball eventually found its way to Bogut, who hit Thompson with a backdoor pass that resulted in a layup and a 75-73 lead.
The Warriors didn't score again in regulation, missing their last four shots.
Gasol's two free throws with 2:02 to go were the final points of regulation and produced one last regulation tie.
The Grizzlies build their biggest lead of the game, 66-59, on the strength of a 7-2 run to open the fourth quarter. Forward Mike Miller's 3-pointer capped the burst.
The Warriors countered with the game's next nine points, however, setting up the tight finish. Thompson hit a 3-pointer with 7:20 to go to put Golden State in front 68-66.
Trailing for almost the entire first 30 minutes, the Grizzlies rallied into 49-48 lead just past the midpoint of the third quarter. Memphis shooting guard Quincy Pondexter, held without a field goal in the first half, nailed two 3-pointers in a 15-2 burst that turned a 46-34 deficit into the slim Memphis advantage.
The Warriors, who shot 48.7 percent in building a 44-34 halftime lead, missed six of their seven shots, and both of their free throws, in the lead-losing stretch. They also mixed in two turnovers.
NOTES: Warriors PG Stephen Curry (concussion) was cleared to travel with the club to Los Angeles after Wednesday's game, but a decision on whether he will face the Lakers isn't expected until game day on Friday. ... After announcing before the game that G/F Andre Iguodala would replace Curry as the starter, Warriors coach Mark Jackson was asked who his backup point guard would be. "Don't know," he said. ... SG Tony Allen (one-game suspension) will be eligible to rejoin the Memphis starting lineup Friday at home against the San Antonio Spurs. The game tips off a stretch in which the Grizzlies play eight of nine at home, including a Dec. 7 visit by Golden State that will be the teams' third matchup of the young season. ... For the first time this season, the Warriors were at home against a team that did not played the night before. Golden State took full advantage of the weary opposition in its first five home games, going 5-0 with a 15-point average margin of victory.
