Memphis Grizzlies rookie Cameron Boozer scored 25 points, including a decisive floater in the final minute, to lead Memphis to a 111-108 victory over the Golden State Warriors in their home opener at Chase Center on Friday night. The Grizzlies rallied from a late deficit, outscoring Golden State 11-0 in the closing minutes to secure the win.
The game turned physical early, with tensions rising between Warriors forward-center Draymond Green and Memphis center Zach Edey. Green, 36, found himself battling against bigger opponents after Kristaps Porzingis was sidelined indefinitely and reserve Charles Bassey was unavailable due to knee tendinitis. Green and two-way rookie Graham Ike were the only players covering the center position for Golden State, forcing the Warriors into a gritty, physical struggle.
The first half saw chippy moments, including double technical fouls on Green and Memphis enforcer Isaiah Stewart. The animosity spilled over into the third quarter when Green and Edey clashed again, exchanging verbal jabs without attracting further penalties. Memphis played with physicality reminiscent of their “Grit-n-Grind” predecessors, despite a younger roster led by Boozer, the No. 2 overall pick in 2026.
Boozer made a strong impression, going 6-for-13 from the field and perfect from the free-throw line, while grabbing 13 rebounds and dishing out six assists. His 25 points led Memphis, supported by Ty Jerome’s 28 points on 11-of-22 shooting and Jaylen Wells’s 17 points. Edey added eight points and 10 rebounds, anchoring the Grizzlies’ frontcourt presence.
Golden State’s Stephen Curry scored 24 points and made all 11 of his free throws, but the Warriors struggled with turnovers and size disadvantages. Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg contributed 18 points and seven rebounds, and Brandin Podziemski added 18 points, but the Warriors could not contain Memphis in the final minutes. Golden State started Ike alongside Green at center, but the mismatch was evident as Memphis exploited their size advantage.
With under four minutes remaining, Golden State held a 106-94 lead, but the Warriors’ momentum collapsed. Curry fouled Wells on a corner three, triggering an 11-0 Grizzlies run capped by Jerome’s three-pointer. Jerome, who previously played for Golden State, celebrated the basket by taunting the Warriors bench.
In the closing seconds, Podziemski was tasked with guarding Boozer, who calmly delivered a floater to put Memphis ahead for good. The Warriors had a chance to respond, but a late technical foul on head coach Steve Kerr, protesting the referees’ calls, did not help their cause.
The Warriors shot 41 percent from the field and hit 14 of 41 three-pointers. Turnovers proved costly, with Golden State committing 19 compared to Memphis’s 25, but the Grizzlies’ physicality and rebounding edge made the difference. Memphis grabbed 47 rebounds to Golden State’s 41, with both teams collecting 18 offensive boards apiece.
Green finished with five points, six assists, and four rebounds, but his impact was limited by the physical demands placed on him in the absence of a true seven-footer. The Warriors’ defensive struggles in the paint allowed Memphis to control the pace and close out the game.
The attendance at Chase Center was 18,064, and fans left disappointed after witnessing a home opener that slipped away in the final stretch. Golden State will need to address their frontcourt depth and late-game execution as they continue the season without Porzingis and with limited options at center.
According to Yahoo Sports.