Boozer's Nine-Footer Caps Stunning Grizzlies Comeback Against Warriors
The NBA witnessed a dramatic display of offensive resilience Friday night as the young Memphis Grizzlies staged a monumental comeback, culminating in a stunning 111-108 victory over the Golden State Warriors. The game was defined by late-game collapses and clutch performances, particularly from rookie sensation Cameron Boozer, who capped the historic effort with an impressive nine-foot floater in the closing seconds.
When the action began, the narrative favored the Warriors. Three minutes earlier, veteran wing De'Anthony Melton had successfully hit a corner three-pointer with 3:47 left on the clock, giving Golden State a seemingly comfortable lead of twelve points. This appeared to be an uplifting home win for the team just two nights after they suffered an embarrassing road loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, suggesting the Warriors were poised to seal their regular season campaign.
However, the momentum shifted dramatically when Stephen Curry made what proved to be the initial mistake. Overzealous on a closeout in the corner, the 18-year franchise legend fouled Memphis guard Jaylen Wells on a made three-pointer. This single play provided the Grizzlies with four quick points, immediately injecting hope and energy into the young team.
The collapse continued rapidly after that point. In a sequence of critical moments, Curry, Draymond Green, Yaxel Lendeborg, and Brandin Podziemski combined to miss four consecutive shots over the span of just 80 seconds. The magnitude of this collective failure was evident when Warriors head coach Steve Kerr described the late implosion: "Eight different things had to happen," he stated. "If any one of those eight doesn't happen, I think we win. It was just an avalanche." Curry himself acknowledged the sheer misfortune, simply noting, "Pretty much everything went wrong."
As the Grizzlies capitalized on the Warriors' faltering shooting, Boozer took command of the game. He powered through opponents like fellow rookie Lendeborg and Melton on back-to-back possessions, earning and hitting four crucial free throws to keep the pressure mounting. The scoring continued to build momentum for Memphis when Ty Jerome drilled a corner three after a loose-ball scramble with 1:24 left, pulling the Grizzlies within one point. Wells followed shortly thereafter, hitting a free throw with 54.7 seconds remaining to tie the game.
This set the stage for Boozer's signature moment. Following another miss by Curry with 35 seconds remaining, Boozer found himself defended by the significantly smaller Podziemski. He attacked the basket with controlled drive and spin, culminating in the spectacular nine-footer that gave Memphis a critical 108-106 lead. The Warriors never had another legitimate opportunity to tie the game. On the ensuing possession, Green was called for setting an illegal screen near half court, leading Kerr to yell at officials and receive a technical foul. The Grizzlies capitalized on this call by making three free throws, including the technical shot, completing a historic 17-0 run in the final four minutes of play.
This dramatic surge marked the second-longest fourth-quarter opponent run recorded during the Kerr era, surpassed only by the Houston Rockets' 21-0 run against the Warriors back in 2018. The sheer volatility and sudden swing of momentum are why this game is generating intense discussion; readers are focused on understanding how such massive collapses occur and what it means for a team attempting to build consistency.
The emotional weight of the loss was palpable, leading Curry to reflect that while losses happen, "there are losses like tonight that sting a little bit more." For the Warriors, this defeat is particularly painful as they attempt to manage their depleted roster over the first two months of the season, needing time to get key injured starters, Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody, back on the floor.
Despite the setback, Kerr maintained his focus, acknowledging that "we didn't close the game... It's a long season. We will win our share of those games as well." Looking ahead, the Warriors are scheduled for a challenging back-to-back set in Phoenix Saturday night, and both Curry and Podziemski are expected to be absent, with Curry stating he "probably" won't play and Podziemski citing back soreness.