Memphis Grizzlies guard Mike Conley (right) dribbles past Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry during the third quarter of the NBA Playoffs at Oracle Arena. PICTURE: USA TODAY Sports
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Golden State Warriors star guard Stephen Curry received the NBA Most Valuable Player trophy before the game but Mike Conley of the Memphis Grizzlies was the best player of the night.
Conley, returning from facial surgery, scored 22 points and the Grizzlies handed the Warriors a rare home loss, 97-90 on Tuesday to square their Western Conference semifinal playoff series at 1-1. Conley excelled after an eight-day layoff and three missed games with fractured bones around his left eye, received from an inadvertent elbowing incident on April 25 against Portland.
“I didn’t expect to score 22 points, I expected to run the team and win the game,” said Conley, who shot 8-12 in 27 minutes while wearing a protective face mask.
“Regardless if I scored 20 or zero, my presence of just being out there with the guys just helped everybody mentally, knowing I’m going to push through and fight for them.” Grizzlies coach Dave Joerger said: “Mike Conley had tremendous heart to give us what we got.”
Zach Randolph had 20 points, while Spaniard Marc Gasol and Courtney Lee added 15 apiece as fifth-seeded Memphis snapped the Warriors’ 21-game home-winning streak at Oracle Arena.
“I’m happy he’s able to play, push through and help the team win,” Gasol said of his star point guard Conley. “He means so much to the team. He gives us toughness and poise.”
Curry scored 19 points and Draymond Green had 14 with 12 rebounds for top-seeded Golden State, which shot just 6-of-26 from behind and committed 20 turnovers en route to its first playoff loss. “They deserved to win, they kicked our butts, they controlled the entire game,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “We have to learn from this. We were not poised and did not play well.”
Conley set the tone with nine quick points in the first quarter but had a brief scare in the second when Green hit him in the mask trying to force a jump ball. The Grizzlies took a 50-39 at halftime cushion and 73-63 entering the final 12 minutes.
The Warriors drew within 83-76 midway through the frame, but Conley banked in a runner and Tony Allen picked off a Curry pass for a breakaway dunk. The Warriors made another run and pulled within 87-80 on a Curry layup. But Conley buried a dagger 3-pointer from the right wing with 2:07 left and the Grizzlies took home-court advantage.
“Mission accomplished,” Allen said. “We got one here and we’re going back home.” Memphis hosts game 3 on Saturday.
DeMarre Carroll meanwhile scored 22 points, Al Horford and Paul Millshap added 18 apiece and the Atlanta Hawks beat the visiting Washington Wizards - minus All-Star guard John Wall - 106-90 to lock their Eastern Conference semifinal series at 1-1 as well.
Wall was scratched an hour before tip-off when a left hand injury suffered in a spill during Sunday’s opener ballooned. He will be evaluated and listed as day-to-day.
“We knew this was a game we had to win because we didn’t want to go down there 0-2,” said Carroll. “We realised the last minute John Wall was out. But we kept the same game plan, turned the intensity up a little and kept the focus.”
Ramon Sessions netted 21 in place of Wall, and Bradley Beal added 20 for fifth-seeded Washington, which had just 15 fourth-quarter points on 4-15 shooting en route to a first loss in six post-season games.
“Sessions came in and did a great job. I couldn’t ask any more from him,” Wizards coach Randy Wittman said. “When you lose a guy have to have more guys step up. Now we’ve got to have some other guys step up and play better than we have. That’s where we’re at.”
The Wizards knotted the contest at 73-73 on a Drew Gooden jumper with 1:52 left in the third quarter. But that’s as close as they would come as Atlanta’s Kent Bazemore buried a triple from the left corner to spark a 7-2 period-ending spurt.
The Wizards had one last push, drawing within 88-83 midway through the final quarter before the Hawks answered.
Millsap made a layup, Pero Ancic drilled a wide-open 3-pointer from the left corner before adding two free throws, as the gap widened to 95-83 and the top seeds pulled even. Washington hosts Game 3 on Saturday.
