Golden State Warriors stumble to embarrassing Game 5 loss
MEMPHIS (CBS SF) -- Without head coach Steve Kerr for a second straight game, the Golden State Warriors never could find their rhythm Wednesday night, stumbling to an embarrassing 134-95 Game 5 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA Western Conference semifinals.
Even with the loss, the Warriors need just one win over the next two games to advance to the conference finals with Game 6 scheduled for Friday night in San Francisco.
For a second straight game, Golden State came out playing sloppy and listless. They turned the ball over 14 times and gave up 13 offensive rebounds to fall behind 77-50 at the half.
Desmond Bane hit a 3-pointer to open the third quarter and the rout was on. With 3:44 left in the quarter, Golden State assistant coach Mike Brown, who was taking over for Kerr, tossed in the towel pulling Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.
"We've exceeded expectations ever since I've been here," Bane said. "It almost seems whenever someone thinks we can't do something, we end up doing it. So I never want to put a limit on this team on what we can do because anything's possible."
Kerr missed his second straight game since testing positive for COVID before Game 4.
Dillon Brooks added 12 points for Memphis. Ziaire Williams and Brandon Clarke had 11 apiece and De'Anthony Melton 10. Steven Adams had 13 rebounds, six offensive.
The Grizzlies never trailed, turning in their best performance of this series even with All-Star guard Ja Morant sitting out his second straight game because of a bone bruise in his right knee. They improved to 4-11 when facing elimination.
"We knew what was at stake," said Jaren Jackson, who scored 21 points. "We didn't change anything, though. We just calmed down, looked at the film, understand what we had to take away from the last game and just went out there and executed."
Memphis scored 77 points in the first half, the most in franchise postseason history. The Grizzlies pushed their lead to 55 in the third quarter, threatening the three biggest postseason blowouts in NBA history. Their 52-point lead after three tied for the largest in a playoff game in the past 70 years.
When Memphis fans chanted "Whoop That Trick! Whoop That Trick!" early in the fourth, Curry laughed on the court while Draymond Green swung a towel in unison with the crowd.
"When you spew it out, you've got to be willing to take it and not hide from it and not duck from it and not hide from it. Embrace it," Green said. "So, I appreciated the crowd tonight and the energy they brought to the game. If they want to whoop that trick, we're going to whoop it together."
Thompson led Golden State with 19 points, Jonathan Kuminga added 17, Curry had 14 and Damion Lee and Moses Moody each had 10.
The Grizzlies got back to doing the things that helped the post the second-best record during the regular season. They outrebounded Golden State and dominated on the offensive boards. They forced plenty of turnovers and got their best production from the bench of this series.
Golden State, thanks to Jordan Poole coming off the bench, had outscored Memphis' reserves each of the first four games. Facing elimination, the Grizzlies had a 28-8 edge through the first two quarters and finished with a 52-35 margin.
Memphis led 38-28 at the end of the first quarter and continued a 24-8 run into the second quarter to go up 53-36t. They finished the second on a 20-4 run, including 14 straight, to outscore Golden State 39-22 for a 77-50 lead at halftime.
Then the Grizzlies opened the third quarter outscoring Golden State 20-6, prompting fans to start chanting "Whoop That Trick." Memphis just pushing, outscoring Golden State 42-17 in the third for a 119-67 lead going into the fourth.
