Draymond Green grabs NBA first in Warriors win over Grizzlies
Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol (33) shoots against Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) during the second half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Feb. 10, 2017, in Memphis, Tenn.AP PHOTO
LOS ANGELES—Draymond Green produced an unprecedented triple-double of 12 rebounds, 10 assists and 10 steals Friday (Saturday, Manila time) as the Golden State Warriors mauled the Grizzlies 122-107 in Memphis.
Green put up just four points, becoming the first player in NBA history to post a triple-double without hitting double digits in points.
“It’s pretty amazing to be the only one of something in NBA history, something good,” Green said.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr called it “as dominant a performance as I’ve seen from somebody who scored four points.”
And the Warriors didn’t need more from him offensively, with teammate Klay Thompson scoring 36, Kevin Durant adding 24 and Stephen Curry contributing 18 as Golden State turned the tables on the only team to beat them twice this season.
The Grizzlies, who beat the Warriors 110-89 in Memphis in December and rallied from 24 down for a 128-119 overtime win in Oakland in January, were never ahead in this one and never looked like they would get there.
BACKSTORY: Warriors squander Curry’s 40 points, lose to Grizzlies in OT
Thompson opened the contest by hitting three three-pointers. Golden State led 62-49 by halftime and by as many as 26 points in the fourth quarter as they improved their league-leading record to 45-8.
“We didn’t want to lose to this team three times in a row,” Thompson said.
Curry added: “We have a certain sense of pride on this team.”
