AP Photo/Ben Margot

By Jeff Hall

OAKLAND –

The Memphis Grizzlies proved to the Warriors that they have some bite as a team by beating the Warriors on their home floor to even the Western Conference Semi-finals with a 97-90win. With the win the Grizzlies snapped the Warriors undefeated play-off win streak. And they snapped the Warriors 21 home game-winning streak.

Everyone knew that Stephan Curry was the league’s MVP, but what everyone learned was that Mike Conley is one tough dude. Nobody was more valuable on this night than Conley. Conley was back in the starting line-up for the Grizzlies. After missing three games after undergoing facial surgery. Conley’s surgery occurred just eight-days prior to game 2. Conley who was wearing a full cover face mask after having a plate inserted into his face. He got off to a hot start scoring four of his first four field goal attempts and had 9 points and with just over six minutes into the first quarter. Memphis jumped out to a 14-9 lead half way through the first. The Grizzlies out-played the Warriors most of the first and jumped ahead to a 28-22 lead after the first quarter.

The Grizzlie’s Marc Gasol  struggled and did not score in the first quarter. Gasol played only six minutes after committing two early fouls.

Stephan Curry showed everyone why he deserved the MVP award he received from NBA Commissioner Adam Silver prior to the start of the game in front of the home crowd at Oracle Arena. At the end of the first, Curry led the Warriors in scoring with seven first quarter points.

The warriors started the second quarter going on a 9-2 run and pulled themselves within four points just two minutes into the second quarter.

The Grizzlies Zach Randolph received a large amount of playing time in the first half primarily because Gasol remained in foul trouble. Gasol picked up his third foul half way through the second quarter after making hard contact to Warriors defender Andrew Bogut.

Memphis would hold the lead through the first half 50-39. The Warriors pulled within four points with just over a minute remaining in the first half, but Memphis spread their scoring which was led by Zach Randolph with ten first half points. Conley had nine first half points.

Curry led the Warriors with nine first half points He was one of four from three-point shooting and Klay Thompson was one of five from three-point shooting range. Thompson had just five first half points. Overall The Warriors were held to less than forty-first half points for only the third time this season. Thompson did not score a basket in the third quarter.

Memphis was able to get to the fourth with a 73-63 lead, it seemed that each time the Warriors would pick away at a Memphis lead the Grizzlies would respond and find an answer to any run the Warriors would bring. The Warriors turned the ball over seven times in the third quarter.

The only part of Conley’s game that may have struggled due to the injury was his 3-point shooting. That was until Conley made a 3-point shot to increase the Grizzlies lead to 10 with 2:11 remaining in the game that shot was

Conley had to leave the game after suffering leg cramps, but came back into the game in the final minute. the damage of his offensive performance was already done as far as the Warriors were concerned. Conley led all scorers with 22 points.

“I’m happy the way the team performed. I felt like I played fifty minutes tonight. My teammates lifted me up. I felt like I was a liability defensively for a little bit.” Said Conley after the game.

After the game his coach expressed his thoughts of his players toughness, “Mike Conley had tremendous heart with his performance tonight.He gave us an extra element,” said Grizzlie’s Head Coach David Joerger.

Along with Conley, Zach Randolph had a strong game and received several minutes with Gasol in foul trouble. Randolph scored 20 points.

The Warriors did not have a good scoring night from the splash brothers, Curry led the Warriors with 19 points. Curry was just 2 of 11 from 3-point range. Klay Thompson scored 13 points and did not score a basket in he second half until 6:45 in the third quarter. Thompson was 6 of 15 from 3-point range.

Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr reflected on the play of the Grizzlies, “They played a great game, Mike Conley had a great game. We didn’t play well enough to win.” said Kerr

Game Three heads to the Fed-Ex Forum in Memphis for game three on Saturday.