Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant ejected as Warriors lose once more

Marc Gasol had 34 factors and 14 rebounds, and the Memphis Grizzlies constructed a 19-point third-quarter lead over Golden State earlier than holding on to beat the defending champion Warriors 111-101 on Saturday night time.

Stephen Curry led the Warriors with 37 factors, and Kevin Durant added 29 and 13 rebounds. However each have been ejected with 43.6 seconds left after arguing with officers Curry first after throwing his mouthpiece, after which Durant as he adopted Curry’s argument.

Curry later denied he had tried to hit any officers together with his mouthguard. “I didn’t throw my mouthpiece on the ref. I received higher goal than that. I threw it out of frustration,” he advised ESPN.

The 2-time league MVP did, nevertheless, admit he was within the flawed. “That final play, I assumed I obtained fouled, and my frustration boiled over,” he stated. “I did one thing silly. I deserved to get kicked out, and that’s what occurred. Clearly, I’ll study from it and check out to not do it once more.”

Curry might discover himself in additional hassle: he was ejected after throwing his mouthguard within the 2016 NBA Finals. After the sport his coach, Steve Kerr, joked Curry must be punished harshly. “I feel he ought to be suspended eight, perhaps 10 video games for that,” Kerr joked. “It was egregious. It was terrible. It endangered hundreds of individuals within the stands.”

As Durant, left the courtroom following his ejection he was seen speaking to heckling Memphis followers. He additionally confirmed them his ring finger – a reference to the ring he gained together with the NBA title final season. “I did the ring finger,” he stated. “I’m positive everyone thinks I’m the indignant black athlete, so I received to place my center finger up. However nah, I put the ring finger up.”

On the courtroom, Klay Thompson completed with 14 factors on 5 of 16 capturing, together with 2 of eight from outdoors the arc. James Ennis III added 13 factors, and Tyreke Evans scored 12 as Memphis shot 47% in comparison with 39% for Golden State. The Warriors shot 12 of 38 from three-point vary.

The Warriors trailed by 19 late within the third quarter and Curry was saddled with 5 fouls. Consecutive three-pointers from Durant and an unintended tip-in by the Grizzlies, credited to David West, reduce the deficit to single digits with slightly below 9 minutes left. However Golden State by no means received shut sufficient to catch the Grizzlies down the stretch.

The main burst for Memphis got here early within the third quarter. The Grizzlies turned up their protection, forcing a trio of turnovers and scoring 15 straight factors to stretch the result in 18. The Warriors related on solely 6 of 22 photographs within the third, whereas Memphis went 10 of 18.