On Thursday night, Jake LaRavia’s 3-pointer, which extended the Memphis Grizzlies’ lead to an astonishing 123-66 early in the fourth quarter, highlighted the complete domination they had over the Golden State Warriors. By this point, Stephen Curry and Draymond Green had already exited the game after enduring a night of unparalleled frustration. The Grizzlies rolled to a resounding 144-93 victory, marking the largest margin of victory in the NBA this season.
It was a game to forget for Golden State, where even Curry and Green, two of the NBA’s biggest stars, failed to register a single field goal between them. For the first time in their careers, they both went scoreless in a game they played together. Curry, typically the Warriors’ offensive catalyst, was completely contained by Memphis. He scored just two points and failed to make a shot, missing all seven attempts, including six from beyond the arc. It was a historic low for Curry, who had never before played 24 minutes or taken so many shots without making a single field goal in his 16-year career. Green, too, was off the mark, missing all four of his shots and finishing the game scoreless in just 19 minutes of play.
In response to the shocking stat, Green’s reaction was a mix of disbelief and humility. “Damn, that happen,” he said, his surprise evident. “Oh s—. That’s crazy. They did a good job. Give them some credit.” Both players had already been struggling with foul trouble, and by the end of the game, Green’s plus-minus rating was a staggering minus-42, while Curry’s was just slightly better at minus-41.
Curry, reflecting on the defeat, acknowledged the rare nature of such a result. “First time for everything, right?” he said. “I never thought that would be a situation or a result of the game. From the very jump, they kind of punched us in the mouth. We didn’t have an answer. … That was kind of embarrassing.”
For Golden State, this loss was part of an ongoing struggle. After starting the season 12-3, the Warriors had now lost nine of their last 11 games, and three of those defeats had come by a margin of four points or less, largely due to their inability to score in clutch moments. But Thursday night’s loss wasn’t a narrow defeat—it was a blowout that left the Warriors reeling from the first quarter onward. The Grizzlies came out strong, taking a quick 13-2 lead, and the Warriors never recovered. By halftime, Golden State was trailing by 31 points, and the deficit ballooned to 46 by the time Coach Steve Kerr pulled his starters with just over five minutes remaining in the third quarter.
Memphis set a franchise record, knocking down 27 three-pointers in a stunning display of shooting. The Grizzlies’ defense also stifled Golden State at every turn, making it difficult for the Warriors to get anything going offensively.
Kerr, understandably, was critical of his team’s performance after the game. “It was just a humbling night all around,” he said. “I mean, they took it to us. They were great. We just couldn’t get anything going. … You lose by 51. That’s humbling.” This blowout was the second time this season that the Warriors had been thoroughly outclassed, with a similar 140-88 loss to Boston in March further highlighting their vulnerabilities. Kerr, however, did his best to maintain perspective, acknowledging the adversity but also showing confidence in the team’s resilience. “What I know about this team, this is the second time we’ve been blown out,” he said. “We got blown out in Cleveland early in the season, so I know who we are. I know what our team is about. I know we’ve got competitors. I know we’re going to bounce back and we’re going to regroup, so I’m not concerned about that. But we’ve got a lot of work to do to execute.”
Despite the heavy loss, the mood in the Warriors’ locker room wasn’t entirely despondent. Curry, Green, and Kerr all emphasized that they were confident the team would bounce back. “I expect us to respond,” Green said, speaking about the Warriors’ next game, which would be against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday.
The game marked the debut of newly acquired Dennis Schroder, who started in place of Jonathan Kuminga, who had started the previous six games. Kerr opted to place Green and Kevon Looney in the starting lineup to set a defensive tone from the beginning, but that plan fell flat as the Grizzlies overwhelmed them early. Schroder, unfortunately, struggled in his first appearance for Golden State, shooting just 2-for-12 from the field, finishing with five points and five assists. However, Green was quick to point out that Schroder’s performance wasn’t the cause of the blowout.
This loss also marked the Warriors’ third 50-point defeat under Kerr. Curry, though disappointed, was determined to remain optimistic, reflecting on previous difficult losses and the team’s potential for recovery. “That was a rough one too,” Curry said, referring to an earlier loss in the season. “But I like the vibes [around the team] better right now. We are going to keep saying it because I genuinely believe it: We are better than what we have been playing. We are better than what we have shown tonight. The vibes are way better. It’s nice to say it, but you got to do something about it, and I feel like we can. Just wait and see.”
Despite the overwhelming defeat, the Warriors’ confidence in their ability to bounce back was clear. The loss was a humbling reminder of how quickly the tides can turn in the NBA, but for Curry, Green, and the Warriors, it was just another obstacle to overcome as they looked ahead to their next challenge.
