2015 NBA Playoffs: Memphis Grizzlies Beat Golden State Warriors, 99-89, In Game 3 Of West Semis

Thanks to another great effort on the defensive end, the Memphis Grizzlies got another victory in the NBA's Western Conference semifinals, beating the Golden State Warriors 99-89 Saturday night.

In true “grit and grind” fashion, the defensive-minded Grizzlies forced newly crowned NBA Most Valuable Player Stephen Curry to another bad shooting night even as Memphis' big men Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph took care of the paint to give Memphis a 2 games-to-1 lead in the best-of-seven affair.

Gasol had a double-double of 21 points and 15 rebounds while Randolph had 22 markers on 9-of-15 field-goal shooting. Eight players finished with seven points or more for Memphis, marking a balanced scoring attack for the team.

Mike Conley had 11 points and 5 assists and continued to provide stability from the backcourt and Courtney Lee added 11 markers on 2-of-4 shooting from the three-point line. Tony Allen had another great defensive game finishing with 4 steals.

Curry finished with a team-high 23 points but struggled from the floor making just 8-of-21 overall and 2-of-10 from behind the arc. Klay Thompson finally found his rhythm on offense ending up with 20 points on an efficient 8-of-13 shooting but the Warriors struggled from the floor as a team, shooting just 32-of-74 (43.2 percent) overall.

For the second straight game, Memphis dictated the pace and controlled the tempo of the game. The Warriors are now averaging just 89.5 points per game in the last two games after scoring 101 points in the opening game of the series. Golden State averaged 108.7 points against the New Orleans Pelicans in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs and in their 67-win regular season campaign; they averaged 110 points per game.

After being the top team in the regular season, the Warriors are now learning that the postseason is a different animal; especially against a Grizzlies squad willing them to slug it out in a slow-paced game. Game 4 of the Warriors-Grizzlies series will be Monday, again in Memphis.

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