Jordan Poole nails the Grizzlies in the last second!

At the end of an endless first quarter, with twelve whistled fouls, eight lost balls, Warriors lacking toughness, and Grizzlies 7/22 in shots, Golden State took the lead on Jordan Poole’s winning shot (24- 22). ). The Warriors continue their momentum by losing five balls in the first four minutes of the second quarter, and Memphis, always clumsy, hardly benefits (30-30).

The 3-point address of the Warriors and the presence of Jonathan Kuminga, who will fly to crush a big dunk in traffic, allows them to take a six-point lead (48-42). This was the moment Ja Morant chose to wake up. He scored six points and dished out two assists to lead a 12-5 run, capped off by a prized shot from Santi Adalma, to put the Grizzlies ahead at the break (54-53).

Jaren Jackson Jr, cautious for now, is back in the saddle from both sides of the field and the Grizzlies pass in the second. Their defense slowed down the Warriors and 4 of 5 from long range allowed them to outscore their opponents 12-1 to take a ten point lead (78-68). On the brink of destruction, the Warriors responded with a 17-7 run thanks to the “Splash Brothers” and Anthony Lamb, but Desmond Bane responded by scoring seven of his team’s last eleven points to put Memphis at +6 (96-90).

A ubiquitous Draymond Green who almost single-handedly made four consecutive stops but the Warriors did not take advantage of it. They chained four empty possessions and Memphis regained a ten-point lead (109-99). However, Golden State is not giving up. The defense continued to retaliate, Jaren Jackson Jr. took over. his sixth foul, and ten points from Stephen Curry led the 17-4 that gave them the advantage (116-113).

The thunderclap came with 74 seconds to play: the referees ejected Stephen Curry who had just thrown his mouthguard in the front row, frustrated by a quick shot by Jordan Poole! Ja Morant and Klay Thompson trade baskets and finally Jordan Poole, in a baseline system the Warriors have used for years, gets behind the Memphis defense to win the game one second from the final buzzer !

WHAT YOU SHOULD REMEMBER

– The Warriors set the wrong tone coming in. After five minutes of play, the Warriors committed five fouls, lost the ball three times and got three offensive rebounds. Fortunately for them, their defense, led by an exemplary Draymond Green, and the Grizzlies’ chronic sloppiness (4/16 from 3-pointers at halftime), saved them from paying the price for their mistakes. They still ended the first half with 14 loose balls. They brought 22 points from Memphis, or 41% of their total points at halftime!

– 42 points in the third quarter for Memphis. After a first half of 41% on shots and 25% from 3-pointers, the Grizzlies completely reversed the trend in the third quarter with 70% from success and 63% from distance. Ja Morant attacked Jordan Poole first. With more help, he served up Jaren Jackson Jr. inside, before Desmond Bane burns. All three players scored 32 of their team’s 42 points on the season.

– Stephen Curry fired, Jordan Poole waived. A shot from Jordan Poole ricocheted from 10 yards after an offensive rebound with the Warriors up +3 with less than 90 seconds to play, Stephen Curry was so frustrated that the latter threw his mouthguard at direction of the first row. The referee then applies the rules to the letter. Direct dismissal! We can discuss this arbitration decision. Should the referees apply the “money time” rules to the letter and deprive the fans of a glamorous ending to the match by sending a superstar to the locker room? This discussion will no doubt rage if the Warriors lose but as an irony of history, it was Jordan Poole, with a lay-up one second from the buzzer that gave Golden State the victory. Dubs can crack.

TOPS/FLOPS

✅ Stephen Curry. Before he was ejected, he scored 10 of his 34 points in the final quarter to put his team back in front!

✅ Klay Thompson–Jordan Poole. The “Splash Brother” lacked the address but scored a near-decisive 3-point shot late in the game. He finished with 24 points. Jordan Poole still lost 5 balls but his 21 points, 7 assists, and 5 rebounds were decisive.

✅ Draymond Green. He was once again a role model in defense from start to finish. His energy kept the Warriors in the game in the final quarter. He finished with 8 points, 13 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 blocks.

✅ Yes Morant. 29 points and 12 assists for the Memphis star, but he only scored 4 points in the final quarter and did nothing to stop the Warriors’ comeback. The Grizzlies haven’t won at the Chase Center since the 2021 play-in.

✅ ⛔ Jaren Jackson Jr. Careful in the first half, Jaren Jackson Jr. left. his game score after the break to finish with 17 points and 6 rebounds. However, he committed 5 fouls in the second half and had to watch the end of the match on the bench.

⛔ Zaire Williams. The Grizzlies’ winger was clumsy (1/7 on shots) and lost Jordan Poole in decisive action.

THE FOLLOWING

Golden State (23-24) : reception of Toronto on Friday.

Memphis (29-17): trip to Minnesota on Friday.