Warriors Blow 24-Point Lead; Draymond Green: "I'm Kind Of Thrilled That We Lost"

In the third quarter of last night’s game against the Grizzlies, Stephen Curry was on his way to scoring 40 points while getting some “M-V-P” chants from the crowd. Which was nice, because then it all went to shit and Curry’s efforts were for naught. With close to zero offense in the fourth quarter, the Warriors blew what was at one point a 24-point lead and ended up losing in overtime.

Golden State scored just 13 points in the final quarter, shooting 2-of-13 from the field (with Curry responsible for both of those made shots). The offense was totally disconnected, as was painfully obvious in this sequence from the game’s closing minute: Kevin Durant calling for the ball, Curry seemingly a bit frustrated as he relents and hands it over, Draymond Green responding with visible annoyance.

While last night’s fourth quarter was far more an offensive meltdown than a defensive takeover, it’s worth noting that the Grizzlies’ defense is among the NBA’s best (they’re second in defensive efficiency right now) and they looked like it last night. Meanwhile, Mike Conley scored 27 points, including the mid-range jumper that sent the game to overtime, and Zach Randolph added 27 from the bench.

After the game, the Warriors offered plenty of standard garden-variety laments about execution and chemistry, but Green took a different approach. “I’m actually happy we lost today,” he said. “There are some things we need to correct to win a championship.” While Durant noted that the loss “definitely stings,” Green simply doubled down on his happiness with, “I’m kind of thrilled that we lost, because you normally make corrections when you lose.”

Well, actually, always look on the bright side.