MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Draymond Green had an uncommon triple-double while scoring only four points, and the Golden State Warriors beat Memphis 122-107 on Friday night for their first win over the Grizzlies in three tries this season.
Green had 12 rebounds, 10 assists and a career-best 10 steals, part of a Warriors defense that forced 19 Memphis turnovers and 39 percent shooting.
Klay Thompson scored 36 points to lead Golden State (45-8). Kevin Durant added 24 and Andre Iguodala had 22, missing only one of seven shots. Stephen Curry finished with 18 points.
The Warriors lost two previous games to Memphis this season, including when they blew a 24-point lead in the second half on Jan. 6. This time, they held a 26-point advantage in the fourth quarter and didn’t let the Grizzlies (33-23) back in it.
Mike Conley led Memphis with 20 points. Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph had 17 apiece.
The Warriors’ defense worked hard to keep the Grizzlies from getting the ball inside to Gasol and Randolph. The strategy was particularly effective against Gasol, who shot only 4 of 14.
While Memphis struggled, the Warriors made 51 percent of their shots, including 15 of 33 from outside the arc for 45.5 percent.
Durant, limited to six points on 1-of-6 shooting in the first half, scored 12 in the third quarter to help the Warriors build the lead to 98-77 heading into the fourth.
As expected, the game opened with accurate 3-point shooting, led by Thompson, who was 4 of 6 from beyond the arc for 14 points in the first quarter, including the Warriors’ first 11.
By the first break, the teams were a combined 9 of 17 from 3-point range.
The Warriors carried a 62-49 advantage into halftime. Thompson’s 18 points led the way, and Iguodala added 15.
TIP-INS
Warriors: Curry converted a four-point play in the first quarter. . C Zaza Pachulia turned 33, but did not play. He is out with a right rotator cuff strain. . Green had already matched a season high with six steals before halftime, including four in the first quarter. . Iguodala had 14 points in the second period. . Golden State finished with 31 assists, its 35th game with at least 30.
Grizzlies: Memphis drew its sixth sellout crowd of the season. … F Chandler Parsons did not play on a scheduled day of rest.
HIT TO THE WALLET
The NBA handed out fines from Wednesday night’s late-game scuffle between the Grizzlies and Phoenix Suns. The only Memphis player punished was reserve guard Troy Daniels, who connected on a 3-pointer and was fouled by the Suns’ Devin Booker. Daniels, who was fined $15,000, said something to Booker after the shot, leading to a lot of pushing and shoving. “That’s a testimony of what the officials saw,” Memphis coach David Fizdale said. “I didn’t see it that way when it was all happening. I just felt like it was just a big pushing match.”
EJECTED
Both teams were doing their normal lobbying for calls until the early minutes of the third, when Fizdale hollered about a no-call on Conley. A second quick technical resulted in the Memphis coach heading to the dressing room for the rest of the night, his first ejection as a head coach. Associate head coach J.B. Bickerstaff took over for Fizdale.
UP NEXT
Warriors: Head to Oklahoma City on Saturday for Durant’s long-anticipated return against the Thunder
Grizzlies: Travel to Brooklyn to face the woeful Nets on Monday.
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