The Golden State Warriors have been a near-unstoppable juggernaut all season long. That is, until the last two games.
Riding the momentum of their Game 2 win in Oakland, the Memphis Grizzlies once again took it to the NBA's best regular-season team from the opening tip, pulling away early with a brilliant second quarter and holding on for a pivotal 99-89 Game 3 win and a 2-1 series lead in this Western Conference Semifinals series.
The Grizzlies swarmed Golden State's shooters seemingly on every single possession early in Saturday night's Game 3, forcing a ton of rushed shots and a boatload of turnover. Memphis cashed in on those Golden State mistakes, especially in the second quarter, pushing their advantage to an impressive 55-39 at the break.
Golden State would make things extremely interesting with a impressive push in the fourth, cutting a double-digit lead to four with just about three minutes left. But, a Courtney Lee response 25-footer and a unreal Marc Gasol bank shot was enough for Memphis to stem the tides for a bit, and it was a Draymond Green turnover cashed in by Tony Allen on the other end that would finally end the Warriors' threat for good.
Key Numbers: 22-7, 100
The Memphis Grizzlies and Golden State Warriors turned the ball over at a nearly identical rate, but Memphis took advantage of Golden State's miscues whereas the Warriors couldn't return the favor. The Grizzlies scored 22 points off of turnover to the Warriors' 7 -- a +15 margin that ultimately proved the difference.
Also of note: The Golden State Warriors led the NBA with a 110.0 points per game average during the regular season, but Saturday marks the second-straight game where they were held under 100 points.
Memphis MVPs:
Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol were beastly in the post, combining for 43 points and 23 rebounds while consistently taking advantage of an absent Golden State help defense for most of the first three quarters.
Golden State MVP:
Klay Thompson did everything in his power to bring the Warriors all the way back, heating up late to finish with 20 points on 8 of 13 shooting. It wasn't enough tonight, but it's a good sign for the Dubs that he started to find a groove tonight.
What's Next?
The teams return to the FedEx Forum in Memphis on Monday for Game 4. Tipoff is slated for just after 6:30pm local time.
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