MEMPHIS, Tenn. — In less than three minutes, the Golden State Warriors went from nearly allowing the Memphis Grizzlies to erase a 15-point deficit to cruising to a 108-95 series-clinching victory in Game 6 of the Western Conference semifinals at FedExForum on Friday.
Warriors guard Stephen Curry’s 62-foot heave as time expired in the third quarter capped an 11-4 scoring run over the final 2:37 of the period and gave Golden State a 76-68 lead going into a fourth quarter, where it rolled to advance to the Western Conference finals for the first time since 1976.
Curry finished with 32 points, with 24 of them coming on 8-of-13 shooting from 3-point range. The biggest of them came with 0.2 left in the third quarter, after he alertly gathered a blocked Jeff Green 3-point try near the close of the quarter and heaved it toward the goal.
The shot swished through, sucking the life out of the crowd. The Warriors will face either the Houston Rockets or Los Angeles Clippers in the conference finals.
Warriors guard Klay Thompson had 20 points and forward Draymond Green had 16 points and 12 rebounds for the Warriors, who shot 50.6 percent from the field (41 of 81) and 46.9 percent from 3 (15 of 32).
Memphis got a team-high 21 points and 15 rebounds from Marc Gasol and 16 points from veteran swingman Vince Carter. But the Grizzlies, looking to force a Game 7 at Golden State on Sunday, shot just 37.4 percent from the field and made just 4 of 16 3-point attempts.
Still, they managed to cut a 15-point first-half deficit down to one with 3:55 left in the third quarter.
But Warriors reserve Andre Iguodola (nine points, seven assists, six rebounds) answered with a 3-pointer with 2:37 left to push Golden State’s lead back to four. Festus Ezeli followed with a layup, Iguodola made another 3 and then Curry stuck the dagger into Memphis with his 62-foot shot to end the period.
Zach Randolph had 15 points and six rebounds for Memphis, but finished just 5-of-14 from the field.
NOTES: Grizzlies G Tony Allen was not 100 percent, but played in Game 6 Friday after missing Game 5 on Wednesday with a sore left hamstring. Memphis missed Allen defensively in Game 5. Warriors players shot just 31 percent overall and 0-for-13 from 3-point range when they’ve been guarded by Allen in the Western Conference Semifinals. “Tony’s given us everything he’s got. He said he’s not 100 percent, but he’s always been a warrior,” Grizzlies coach Dave Joerger said before Friday’s tip. … Golden State is now 13-6 all-time in Game 6s, including nine wins in the last 11 contests.