MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant each scored 28 points, with Durant going 12 of 13 from the field, and the Golden State Warriors beat the Memphis Grizzlies 118-103 on Wednesday night to take sole possession of the Western Conference lead.
Curry also had 10 rebounds, and DeMarcus Cousins added 16 points and nine rebounds to help the Warriors break a tie with idle Denver for the top spot in the West.
Jonas Valanciunas led Memphis with 27 points and 13 rebounds, and Mike Conley added 22 points to take the franchise’s career scoring lead and added eight assists. Bruno Caboclo had 17 points and 13 rebounds.
Durant scored seven straight points in a 9-0 run that made it 100-92 midway through the fourth quarter.
Curry’s 3-point shooting created a buffer near the midway point of the third period, scoring 12 points in the quarter to help the Warriors take an 89-84 lead in to the fourth.
Golden State led 66-60 after a spirited first half of good shooting, bickering between players and coaches, players and refs and players and a fan or two. Durant and Valanciunas had technicals in the half
Valanciunas was banging inside for 16 points in the half, and Durant and Curry had 14 apiece.
TIP-INS
Warriors: Golden State suspended centre Jordan Bell for the game for conduct detrimental to the team. … The Warriors have won five straight against the Grizzlies. … Seven of their last nine games, including Wednesday, are against teams with sub-.500, including the Grizzlies a second time on April 10 — the last day of the regular season. .. Andrew Bogut entered late in the first half, playing in his 700th career game.
Grizzlies: Conley’s 3-pointer with 2:50 left in the second quarter moved him to first place on the franchise scoring list, passing former teammate Marc Gasol. Conley returned to the lineup after missing two of the previous three games, including Monday’s win over Oklahoma City with left thigh soreness…. Reserve C Joakim Noah missed his second straight game and third in the last four with right knee pain. .Justin Holiday converted a last-second shot from 35 feet to close the first quarter. He also tied a franchise record for steals in a quarter with four in the first.
UP NEXT
Warriors: At Minnesota on Friday night
Grizzlies: Begin a four-game trip Saturday night in Phoenix
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