The Golden State Warriors survived a late thriller over the Memphis Grizzlies (117-116) to “steal” the home-court advantage.
Klay Thompson hit the game-winning three-pointer for the Warriors, with 36.6 seconds to go. The All-Star forward missed a pair of free throws with 6.7 seconds remaining and gave Memphis a chance to win the game.
However, Ja Morant missed the layup at the buzzer and the Grizzlies saw the Warriors take the upper hand in the series.
Stephen Curry and Jordan Poole (8 rebounds, 9 assists) led the way for the winners, with 24 and 31 points, respectively. Thompson and Andrew Wiggins added 15 and 17 points for Golden State, respectively.
Morant flirted with the triple-double for the losing squad, with 34 points (14/31 shooting), 9 boards and 10 assists. Jaren Jackson Jr. posted 33 points (10/18 shooting, 6/9 from beyond the arc) and 10 rebounds for Memphis.
The Warriors erased a 13-point deficit early in the second quarter (29-42) and led by 10 early in the fourth (103-93). Yet, the hosts closed the game on a 14-23 run to make it an one-possession game.
Morant missed the game-winner, though, and Golden State now leads the series 1-0. Game 2 will take place in Memphis on Tuesday.
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