Stephen Curry delivered a 52-point masterpiece, drilling 12 three-pointers to propel the Golden State Warriors to a 134-125 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday night.
Curry’s offensive explosion helped the Warriors (44-31) leapfrog Memphis (44-32) for fifth place in the Western Conference standings with just a few games left in the regular season.
The two-time MVP was locked in from the start, scoring 32 points in the first half while hitting his first five shots, including four from beyond the arc.
Ja Morant led the Grizzlies with 36 points and six assists, but his effort was not enough to snap Memphis’ three-game losing streak.
Jaren Jackson Jr. added 22 points, while rookie big man Zach Edey contributed 10 points and 16 rebounds in the losing effort.
Golden State set the tone early, racing to a 45-32 lead in the first quarter behind Curry’s blistering shooting.
Memphis fought back and closed the gap to 70-66 by halftime, but the Warriors responded in the third quarter, extending their lead to double digits.
Curry finished 16-of-31 from the field and 12-of-20 from beyond the arc while also contributing 10 rebounds and eight assists.
Jimmy Butler added 27 points on 7-of-11 shooting, and Draymond Green posted a triple-double with 13 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists.
The victory gave the Warriors control of the season series against Memphis with a 3-1 advantage.
The Grizzlies have now fallen from the second seed in early February to sixth place, hovering dangerously close to the play-in tournament.
Golden State capitalized on their efficiency at the free-throw line, hitting all 28 of their attempts, compared to Memphis’ 19-of-22 from the stripe.
The Warriors also controlled the glass, outrebounding the Grizzlies 49-43, while their bench chipped in with key contributions from Buddy Hield and Quinten Post.
Defensively, Golden State forced 16 turnovers, with Curry and Green combining for seven steals.
For Memphis, Santi Aldama had 18 points off the bench, while Desmond Bane finished with 19 points and five assists.
Both teams have just a few games remaining in the regular season, with Golden State looking to solidify its hold on the fifth seed while Memphis tries to avoid the play-in tournament.
With this win, the Warriors are in prime position for a top-six finish, while the Grizzlies face mounting pressure to stay in the playoff picture.
