NBA roundup: Curry scores 52 points to lead Warriors past Grizzlies, Jokic scores career-high 61 points in loss
Stephen Curry delivered an impressive performance, scoring 52 points, while Draymond Green contributed a triple-double, leading the Golden State Warriors to a vital 134-125 win against the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday.
Curry, recognized as the NBA's all-time leader in three-point shooting, showcased his exceptional skills by successfully making 12 of his 20 attempts from beyond the arc at the FedExForum in Memphis.
The 37-year-old's remarkable shooting display propelled the Warriors past the Grizzlies, securing fifth place in the Western Conference standings and bringing them closer to an automatic playoff spot.
With this victory, the Warriors improved their record to 44-31, while the Grizzlies fell to sixth place with a 44-32 record. The top six teams in the Western Conference automatically qualify for the playoffs.
Curry's outstanding performance marked his second 50-point game of the season and the 15th of his career, complemented by a three-pointer from the defensive stalwart Green and 27 points from Jimmy Butler.
Green concluded the game with 13 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists.
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr praised Curry's extraordinary display, which has positioned Golden State firmly on the path to the playoffs.
"The guy's 37 years old, it's incredible," Kerr said. "Fifty-two points with people draped all over him all game long. The conditioning, the skill, the audacity, the belief, it's incredible to watch Steph at work.
"I can't believe he's still doing this at this age. But he's put the work in and he's still got it."
Interim coach Tuomas Iisalo of the Grizzlies, who assumed leadership of the team last week after the unexpected firing of Taylor Jenkins, expressed similar enthusiasm regarding Curry's performance.
"It's a sight to behold how he operates," Iisalo said, revealing that the team had been helpless to stop a first-quarter onslaught from Curry that included 19 points.
"In the first quarter we had a specific strategy that we do not want him to get three-point shots - and he found a way to get going anyway. It's very hard to stop a player of that caliber.
"Once he gets into that zone, it's very difficult to get him. I mean, we're talking about the best movement shooter of all time."
Memphis, which fell behind by as much as 17 points in the first quarter, lamented their failure to maintain a second-half comeback that allowed them to establish a four-point advantage with less than four minutes left in the game.
Ja Morant was the top scorer for the Grizzlies, contributing 36 points, while Jaren Jackson Jr. supported with 22 points.
"Everybody's hurting in that locker room right now," Iisalo said. "It really hurts when you put everything on the line and you come up a little short. But that's life, that's sports."
In another matchup, Giannis Antetokounmpo delivered an impressive performance, scoring 37 points to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to a 133-123 victory over the Phoenix Suns, thereby ending their four-game losing streak.
Despite Devin Booker's 39 points for Phoenix, the Suns suffered their fourth consecutive loss, contributing to a late-season downturn that jeopardizes their chances of making the playoffs.
Currently, the Suns sit in 11th place in the Western Conference with a record of 35-41, trailing the 10th-seeded Sacramento Kings, who hold a 36-39 record. The teams ranked from 7th to 10th in the conference will participate in a four-team play-in tournament to compete for the final two playoff spots.
Meanwhile, the Indiana Pacers secured their playoff berth following the Atlanta Hawks' 127-113 defeat at home against the Portland Trail Blazers.
This outcome guarantees that the Pacers, who are currently fourth in the Eastern Conference with a 44-31 record, will finish in the top six.
SportsLigue