An “embarrassing” evening for Stephen Curry and the Warriors, who lost by 51 points in Memphis

An “embarrassing” evening for Stephen Curry and the Warriors, who lost by 51 points in Memphis

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Stephen Curry had a game like no other in his career. It was part of a terrible night for the Golden State Warriors.

Curry didn’t make a single shot from the field in his 24 minutes – the first time he played that many minutes without a basket in his 16-year career – and the Warriors fell behind by 57 points, resulting in a 144-93 loss the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday night.

“We came across a circular saw,” Curry said. “Of course we know that we are better. I have to be better.”

The final lead of 51 points and the deficit of 57 points were both the largest in the NBA this season.

“You lose by 51, it’s humbling,” coach Steve Kerr said after his team, which started the season 12-3, lost for the ninth time in its last 11 games.

Curry was 0 for 7 and missed all six of his attempts from 3-point range. It was only the fifth time in Curry’s career that he had taken a shot and not made a field goal in a game – once he was 0-for-1, once 0-for-2, once 0-for-3 and once 0-for-4.

“He’s one of the toughest cover players in NBA history,” Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said.

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green, right, speaks with the referee...

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (right) talks with referee Brett Nansel (44) during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Memphis Grizzlies, Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024, in Memphis, Tennessee. Photo credit: AP/Brandon Dill

But not on Thursday.

“That was embarrassing,” Curry said.

It was only the fifth time in the Warriors’ history that they lost a regular season game by more than 50 points. Of those, three have come in the last five years – 53 against Toronto in Tampa, Florida in 2021, 52 against Boston on March 3 and Thursday’s 51-point loss.

The franchise regular season record is a 63-point loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in 1972. The Philadelphia Warriors lost by 51 points in Boston in 1962.

Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr reacts to a...

Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr reacts to a referee’s call during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday, December 19, 2024, in Memphis, Tennessee. Photo credit: AP/Brandon Dill

“It wasn’t one of our nights,” Kerr said. “Including mine.”

Until Thursday, Curry and Draymond Green had never combined for zero field goals in a game in which both played.

“There’s a first time for everything, right?” Curry said.

Brandin Podziemski and Andrew Wiggins combined to make 15 of their 24 shots for Golden State. The rest of the Warriors shot 17 of 66 – 25.8% – with Dennis Schroder going 2-for-12 in his Golden State debut. Jonathan Kuminga also shot 2 of 12.

The Warriors have trailed by 45 points at least one game each of the last six seasons.

“Once we all lock in on defense, you see what kind of team we can be,” Grizzlies guard Ja Morant said.

The Grizzlies now have the two largest victory margins in the NBA this season. On November 10, they beat Portland by 45.

Memphis also led Golden State by 55 points in Game 5 of the 2022 Western Conference Semifinals and ultimately won that game by 39 points. The Warriors won that series in six games and ultimately won that season’s NBA title.

“I know who we are. I know what our team is about,” Kerr said. “I know we have competitors and I know we will bounce back and regroup. So I’m not worried about it. But we still have a lot of work to do to perform and learn how to perform under pressure, take care of the ball and take good shots.”

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