For the first time since Gerald Rudolph Ford occupied the White House, the Warriors are in the Western Conference finals.
With Splash Brothers Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson leading the way, the Warriors on Friday night posted a 108-95 Game 6 victory over the Grizzlies at FedEx Forum to win their Western Conference semifinal four games to two.
The Warriors, making their first trip to the conference finals since 1976, await the winner of the conference semifinal between the Clippers and the Rockets. The seventh and deciding game of that series is scheduled for Sunday in Houston.
Curry finished with a game-high 32 points, adding 10 assists and six rebounds. Thompson tossed in 20 points, while Draymond Green put in 16 and Harrison Barnes added 13.
Shaun Livingston came off the bench to score 10 points, rounding out the leading scorers for the Warriors.
The Warriors played a strong offensive game, shooting 50.6 percent overall and 46.9 percent from 3-point distance.
But they relied largely on their defense, which held Memphis to 37.4-percent shooting from the floor, 25 percent from beyond the arc.
Center Marc Gasol led the Grizzlies with 21 points and 15 rebounds.
STANDOUT PERFORMER
Curry wins the prize -– he torched Memphis early and late and in-between -– but he had plenty of assistance from the likes of Thompson, Barnes and Green.
Curry scored 11 points in the first quarter and finished off the Grizzlies with a 13-point fourth quarter. He took 13 3-pointers, drilling eight.
Green posted a team-high 12 rebounds.
TURNING POINT
Though the Warriors led by as much as 15 early, the Grizzlies charged back into the game, getting as close as one (63-62) in the third quarter and getting the crowd back into things before, well, Steph happened.
Curry flung a 62-foot prayer that swished through as the buzzer, giving the Warriors a 76-68 lead going into the fourth quarter.
When the Warriors followed up Curry's stunning shot by opening the fourth with a 7-0 run, taking an 83-68 lead with 10:30 left to play, the building went silent, with the exception of the sound of hope leaving.
INJURY UPDATE
Warriors: F Marreese Speights (strained right calf) and C Ognjen Kuzmic (sprained left ankle) were listed as out and placed on the inactive list.
Grizzlies: F Tony Allen (sore left hamstring) was listed as questionable but started and played only five minutes in the first quarter before he was replaced.
WHAT'S NEXT
The Warriors play host to Game 1 of the Western Conference finals on Tuesday, May 19.
