Warriors rally late, stun Grizzlies in battle of short-handed teams
Gui Santos turned a scramble under the hoop into a go-ahead layup with 19.4 seconds remaining and the Golden State Warriors rallied from 17 points down in the second half to stun the visiting Memphis Grizzlies 114-113 on Monday night.
In a game in which both teams were missing multiple key players, the Warriors were down 108-95 with 8:23 remaining before holding the Grizzlies to five points the rest of the way, enabling them to rally into a second win in their last three games.
A driving layup by Moses Moody got Golden State within 113-112 with two minutes remaining, setting up a furious finish during which only Santos was able to score.
After missing three consecutive shots that could have given them the lead, the Warriors finally snatched the upper hand after Al Horford missed from point-blank range with 25.9 seconds left.
Horford was able to get his own rebound in a crowd, but missed again before snatching the ball back one more time and handing off to Santos, whose layup in sea of hands put the Warriors in front.
Memphis had two subsequent chances to snap a two-game losing streak, but Jahmai Mashack couldn't connect from close range.
Cam Spencer grabbed the offensive rebound, but in his haste to make something happen before the final horn, threw the ball straight to Horford, who was able to run out the clock.
Pat Spencer had 17 points and a team-high seven assists to lead the Warriors, who were once again without injured Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler III as they await the debut of Kristaps Porzingis.
Santos (16 points), Horford (16), Brandin Podziemski (16), Moody (15), Draymond Green (14) and De'Anthony Melton (10) also scored in double figures for the Warriors, who were able to overcome 23 turnovers that turned into 23 Grizzlies points.
Horford was Golden State's leading rebounder with nine and also found time for six assists, including the game-winner.
Ty Jerome was the game's leading scorer with 19 points to complement seven assists for Memphis, which played without Ja Morant, Santi Aldama and Zach Edey in the wake of the Jaren Jackson Jr. trade to Utah.
Mashack chipped in with 17 points for the visitors, while Taylor Hendricks and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had 15 apiece off the bench. Scotty Pippen Jr. scored 11 and Jaylen Wells added 10.
Hendricks completed a double-double with a game-high 10 rebounds.