Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry gestures during the second half of the team’s NBA basketball game against the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday, March 20, 2024, in San Francisco. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
SAN FRANCISCO— The Golden State Warriors received a halftime message about taking control of the third quarter and making regular defensive stops, and they wasted no time stealing the momentum once back on the floor.
They shared the ball and they took care of it.
Stephen Curry reached 300 3-pointers for an NBA-record fifth season and scored 14 points with four 3s, one of seven players in double figures as the Warriors beat the Memphis Grizzlies 137-116 on Wednesday night.
READ: Steph Curry’s NBA record 3-point streak ends at 268 games
“He gonna do it again next year. I’m not surprised,” teammate Chris Paul said. “It’s easy for him, he shoots the life out of the ball, takes care of his body.”
Jonathan Kuminga scored 26 points, Andrew Wiggins added 22 and 10 rebounds and Klay Thompson 23 points off the bench. Paul dished out a season-best 14 assists — matching the second-most by a reserve this season — in the team’s 30th game with at least 30 assists.
Steph knocks down his 300th 3-pointer of the season 📊
This mark has only been reached 7 times in NBA history… 5 of them are from Curry.
MEM-GSW on ESPN pic.twitter.com/718B3YwaCU
— NBA (@NBA) March 21, 2024
“It was a fun game to watch,” coach Steve Kerr said, calling Paul’s passing “a clinic” as the team finished with a season-high 43 assists to just six turnovers.
Paul said he has been lucky to play basketball since age 4 and have some great coaches. He has a knack for finding the hot hand or the right look.
“I’ve been playing a few games, but seriously I watch this game all day every day,” Paul said. “I know this game like the back of my hand.”
READ: Nullified LeBron 3, shot clock glitch in ending of Warriors-Lakers NBA game
GG Jackson II scored 35 points and Jaren Jackson Jr. had 28 for a Memphis team that lost 121-111 in overtime on Monday at Sacramento and now has dropped four straight and six of seven. Santi Aldama scored 15 of his 27 points in the second quarter and had 21 by halftime for the Grizzlies.
His second straight 3-pointer 2:30 before halftime pulled Memphis within 58-56. A pair of free throws by Jaren Jackson Jr. tied it at the 2:07 mark before Golden State scored 10 unanswered points to end the half for a 68-58 lead. The Warriors opened the third with a 12-0 burst.
The last time the Warriors had a run of 22-0 or greater was a 24-0 spurt in the third quarter at Houston on May 1, 2021, according to Elias Sports Bureau.
Things got testy between two teams with a heated history dating to the 2022 playoffs. After Moses Moody’s 3-pointer with 6:39 left in the second quarter put Golden State ahead 49-47, Memphis called timeout and Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins approached an official to talk. Draymond Green, who had tangled with Aldama beneath the Grizzlies basket on the previous play, tried to get in on it and Desmond Bane reached out to restrain him. They each received a technical then shook hands once things calmed down.
Jenkins fell down during the fracas but Kerr said they spoke afterward and he was OK.
“We have a history with this team and it’s always been very competitive,” Kerr said. “They’re tough. When we play them there’s usually some kind of dustup.”
Kuminga made five of his initial six shots to score 11 first-quarter points and was 12 of 17 from the floor overall, while Curry hit his first three shots and was 5 for 9.
Green, questionable coming into the game with low back tightness, started and had 10 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists.
The Warriors evened their home record to 18-18 after a 119-112 loss to the Knicks at Chase Center on Monday night. They have won four in a row and 10 of 12 at home against Memphis, which shot 7 for 17 on 3s in the opening quarter and finished 18 of 49 from deep.
Kuminga scored in double digits for the eighth straight game and 46th in the past 48. It was his ninth 20-point performance in the last 12 games and 22nd overall.
Warriors rookie Brandin Podziemski drew his NBA-leading 35th charge.
NEXT SCHEDULE
Grizzlies: At San Antonio on Friday night.
Warriors: Host Pacers on Friday night having lost the last four in the series at home.