Warriors Rally Late to Edge Grizzlies in Scrappy Comeback Without Star Power

Short-handed and searching for stability, the Golden State Warriors have entered survival mode. With Stephen Curry and Kristaps Porzingis sidelined by injury, every win has taken on added importance as the team tries to stay afloat in the standings.

Monday night offered little comfort on paper. Facing a Memphis Grizzlies squad navigating its own uncertain season, the Warriors spent much of the game chasing the score, struggling to string together consistent offense or defensive stops.

But what unfolded late was less about polish and more about persistence. Golden State leaned on hustle plays, second chances and unlikely contributors to claw its way back from a double-digit deficit.

By the final buzzer, the Warriors had turned a messy, frantic finish into one of their grittiest victories of the season — a comeback that said as much about effort as execution.

1. Climbing Out of a Hole

With just over eight minutes remaining, Golden State trailed 108–95 and appeared headed toward another frustrating loss. Memphis had controlled the tempo, capitalizing on defensive breakdowns and pushing the lead into comfortable territory. The Warriors, lacking their usual star firepower, needed energy from the margins. Bench players and role contributors began to chip away at the deficit with stops, loose balls and quick transition scores. What followed was a dramatic swing. Golden State outscored Memphis 19–5 down the stretch, tightening defensively while turning nearly every rebound and turnover into an opportunity. The surge transformed the atmosphere inside the arena, turning what had been a quiet night into a tense back-and-forth finish that suddenly felt winnable.

2. Chaos on the Final Possession

The closing sequence captured the unpredictable nature of the game. With the Warriors scrambling for one last chance, De’Anthony Melton became tied up for a jump ball but managed to win the tip, keeping the possession alive. From there, the play devolved into controlled chaos. Al Horford missed a point-blank layup, then failed on a follow-up tip, yet refused to give up on the sequence, battling for multiple offensive rebounds. At one point Horford tumbled to the floor, the ball skittering loose as bodies collided around him. Somehow, he stayed inbounds and regained enough control to find an open teammate. That teammate was Gui Santos, who calmly gathered the pass, sold a convincing fake to shake GG Jackson, and finished the go-ahead basket — a poised move that sealed a 114–113 victory.

3. Questions Around Memphis’ Approach

While the Warriors earned credit for their resilience, Memphis’ late-game decisions drew scrutiny. The Grizzlies closed with an ultra-small lineup that struggled on the glass, allowing Horford to dominate critical possessions. Notably absent in the closing minutes were key contributors such as Scotty Pippen Jr. and Ty Jerome. Instead, Memphis relied on a group of Jackson, Jahmai Mashack, Javon Small, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Cam Spencer — a unit that lacked size and rebounding presence. The lineup choices, combined with the decision not to call a timeout on the final possession, left observers wondering whether strategy or long-term draft considerations played a role. Memphis, like several teams near the bottom of the standings, stands to benefit from improved lottery odds. Regardless of intent, the outcome favored Golden State, which capitalized on every extra opportunity and turned Memphis’ miscues into a much-needed win.