Curry, Thompson send Warriors into Western Conference finals
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Klay Thompson knocked down eight 3-pointers on the way in which to 30 factors, Stephen Curry scored 29 with six 3s, and the Golden State Warriors superior to the Western Convention finals by beating the Memphis Grizzlies 110-96 in Sport 6 on Friday evening.
Curry discovered his taking pictures contact late and made two straight baskets late within the third for a 78-77 lead getting into the ultimate 12 minutes. Draymond Inexperienced contributed 14 factors, 16 rebounds and eight assists. Kevon Looney grabbed 22 rebounds and Andrew Wiggins scored 10 of his 18 factors within the fourth with a pair of well timed 3s.
Golden State — eradicated by Memphis within the play-in event final 12 months — withstood a testy collection to advance to the convention finals for the primary time since 2019, when the franchise reached its fifth straight NBA Finals earlier than dropping to Toronto within the deciding Sport 6.
The third-seeded Warriors will face the Phoenix-Dallas winner within the convention finals. Sport 7 of that collection is Sunday in Phoenix.
“Whoop that trick!” the delighted, raucous dwelling crowd chanted within the waning moments, the followers’ steal away from Memphis.
Dillon Brooks scored 30 factors with a career-best seven 3-pointers however picked up his second flagrant foul of the collection. Desmond Bane added 25.
Curry checked again in for the ultimate 8:21 and delivered a 3 with 5:45 remaining off a wonderful bounce go by Inexperienced. Looney discovered Inexperienced for a straightforward dunk the following time down, capping a decisive 10-0 run.
After Wednesday’s 134-95 debacle on the Grizzlies’ dwelling ground wherein they trailed by as many as 55 , the Warriors have been decided to do every little thing higher, particularly reducing down on the 22 turnovers resulting in 29 factors.
The Warriors outrebounded the Grizzlies 70-44, turning into the primary group to seize 70 rebounds in a playoff recreation since San Antonio had 75 in opposition to Denver on Could 4, 1983.
Bane scored the primary two baskets of the sport earlier than the Warriors ran off 10 consecutive factors, with a pair of layups by Inexperienced and a 3 by each Curry and Thompson.
Looney began after Jonathan Kuminga had the earlier three video games following the damage to protect Gary Payton II. He broke his left elbow in a clumsy fall after being hit over the pinnacle by Brooks in Sport 2 that earned Brooks a Flagrant 2 foul and one-game suspension.
He was booed loudly once more at each probability by the sellout crowd at Chase Heart. When Payton was proven on the massive display screen throughout a first-quarter timeout he obtained a rousing ovation and touched his hand to his coronary heart earlier than encouraging them to get louder.
Memphis once more performed with out All-Star guard Ja Morant, who missed his third straight recreation with a bone bruise in his troublesome proper knee that the Grizzlies blamed on Jordan Poole pulling on the knee whereas going for a unfastened ball in Sport 3.
Heart Steven Adams limped off gingerly on his proper ankle and headed to the locker room 3:23 earlier than halftime however returned. On the similar time, Brooks obtained a Flagrant foul 1 for taking down Curry and the Grizzlies ahead and Thompson have been hit with double technicals.
THOMPSON’S TOUCH
Thompson, again shining within the playoffs after his 2 1/2-year absence with a pair of great accidents, notched his fourth profession postseason recreation with eight 3s — tying Ray Allen, Curry, and Damian Lillard for many in NBA historical past.
TIP-INS
Grizzlies: Brooks had three flagrant factors and completed one from an automated one-game suspension. … Memphis missed its last 10 photographs of the second quarter. … The Grizzlies held a 55-37 rebounding benefit in Sport 5.
Warriors: Curry was 6 for 17 from deep. … Looney’s 11 first-quarter rebounds are a profession excessive for any quarter they usually match a Warriors playoff document within the group’s West Coast period additionally completed by Larry Smith on Could 12, 1987, on the street vs. the Lakers. … F Otto Porter Jr. was out with soreness in his proper foot. … Veteran Andre Iguodala, nonetheless sidelined with a left cervical disc damage, is scheduled to be re-evaluated once more later subsequent week.
FRIDAY THE 13TH
The Warriors had a playoff recreation on Friday the thirteenth for simply the second time in franchise historical past, beforehand once they beat the Bucks 100-86 on April 13, 1973, in Sport 6 of the Western Convention semifinals to clinch the collection 4-2, in response to Elias. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scored a game-high 27 factors and led the Bucks with 14 rebounds. Jim Barnett scored 26 for the Warriors.
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