Stephen Curry experienced a first during Thursday night’s game in Memphis, failing to score a field goal in the first 10 minutes of play. The night was also marked by a grim achievement for his teammate, Draymond Green. Curry managed only seven shot attempts in the Warriors’ 144-93 defeat against the Grizzlies, missing all of them and scoring just two points from free throws late in the second quarter. The loss was so decisive that Warriors coach Steve Kerr pulled Curry and the other starters with five minutes remaining. Curry’s stats for the night were two points, zero-for-six from beyond the arc, three rebounds, one assist, and two turnovers.
Things went even worse for Green, whose night was reportedly one of the worst in terms of plus/minus. He didn’t score in 19 minutes, missed all four of his shots, contributed no assists or rebounds, and had four fouls and turnovers, with only one steal to his credit. His plus/minus rating was -42, the lowest for any player under 20 minutes. Green’s limited playing time was due to foul trouble, as he picked up his second foul just before the first quarter ended and his third quickly into the second. Additionally, he received a delay of game warning for attempting to stall a play, seeking a review on a foul call.
This poor showing was particularly striking given Green’s earlier criticism of Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins and his remarks about rookie Zach Edey’s performance, which he labeled “soft.” In contrast, Edey performed well against the Warriors, scoring eight points, grabbing eight rebounds, and dishing out four assists, along with two blocks and a plus/minus of +24.
The night underscored the Grizzlies’ strong defensive effort, especially from rookie Jaylen Wells, who closely guarded Curry, and former Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson, Jr.
The game was not only a blow to Curry’s pride but will also prompt Green to share his thoughts on his podcast.
