the final showdown in the west
In a night that reminded everyone why the Golden State Warriors became a dominant force, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson stepped up to close out the Memphis Grizzlies with a 110-96 victory, clinching a trip to the Western Conference finals in six games. The trio of Curry, Thompson, and Draymond Green anchored the team, proving that time and injuries don’t erase a championship core. Despite Memphis playing without Ja Morant for a third straight game, they pushed the Warriors to the limit, trading blows until the late stretch where Golden State pulled away with a decisive burst.
Curry led the way with 29 points and seven rebounds, anchoring the offense alongside Thompson, who poured in 30 points and hit eight of his 14 three-point attempts. Green contributed a stellar all-around line with 14 points, 15 rebounds, and eight assists, while Kevon Looney crashed the boards with 22 rebounds and 11 on the offensive glass. Andrew Wiggins added a critical 10 points in the fourth quarter to help seal the win. Memphis countered with a strong performance from Dillon Brooks, who dropped 30 points, and Desmond Bane, who finished with 25 and seven boards. The Grizzlies won the rebounding battle early on but could not sustain the edge on the glass as Golden State seized control on the offensive boards late in the game.
The absence of Morant did not dilute Memphis’s intensity. They played with fearless pace and used a relentless attack to keep the score tight, but the experience and cohesion of the Warriors proved decisive in the fourth quarter. Golden State’s 32-19 run in that final period flipped the momentum and delivered the win, even as the Grizzlies fought with grit and poise until the final buzzer.
Without their head coach due to health protocols, the Warriors faced the prospect of advancing by relying on their veteran leadership. Fans in San Francisco watched as the team navigated a challenging semifinal push and looked ahead to the winner of the other Western Conference semifinal between Phoenix and Dallas, a series that would go to a decisive seventh game. The anticipation around the franchise is tempered by the reality of travel, injuries, and the demand for consistent execution in crunch time.
the pressure of the semifinal arc
Heading into the back half of the series, Golden State knew they had to solve a stubborn Memphis defense that had stifled the game’s flow. Thompson’s return to form provided a much-needed spark, delivering a crisp start and carrying momentum into the mid-game with timely buckets. The Grizzlies matched the effort with sharp shooting and relentless energy from Brooks, whose early efficiency helped Memphis stay in touch.
The first half unfolded with a back-and-forth rhythm. Golden State knocked down a handful of timely threes, riding a 5-for-7 clip from beyond the arc in the opening stretch, which helped them regain the lead after a cautious start. Memphis answered with a balanced attack—Brooks’s early scoring burst and Bane’s scoring bursts kept the crowd engaged and the scoreboard tight. The end of the second quarter saw Golden State take a narrow lead at the break, setting a stage for a tense second half.
The third quarter intensified the chess match. Both sides traded baskets as the tempo remained high. Golden State weathered turnovers that threatened to derail the offense, while Memphis leaned on fast breaks and aggressive drives to the rim. By the end of the third, the game was still within reach, with the score hovering in a one-possession range and the feel of a potential game-changing stretch anywhere on the floor.
In the fourth, Curry and Thompson combined to lift Golden State with a sequence of clutch plays. A series of three-pointers from Curry sparked a decisive run, and the Warriors cemented their advantage with relentless effort on the boards and smart, opportunistic scoring. Memphis fought hard, but the late surge proved too much, sealing a memorable victory and setting the stage for the conference finals to headline the next chapter of a storied rivalry.