Steph Curry Says Golden State Warriors' Blown Lead Against Memphis Grizzlies "Stings A Bit More"

Stephen Curry in action in his Golden State Warriors jersey.© Image via Instagram/ @stephencurry30

The Warriors had a 12-point lead with about three minutes to play in their home opener, and they let it go. Memphis ran off a late burst, tied the game and won 111-108 at Chase Center, which left Golden State at 0-2. Stephen Curry led the team with 24 points, but he missed all four shots he took in crunch time. Afterward he didn't hide how much this one hurt, and he explained why it felt different from a normal loss.

Curry: “These ones sting”

Curry was asked about the 12-point lead that vanished in the final four minutes, and he didn't try to wave it away. “There are losses and then there are ways that you lose like tonight that sting a bit more,” he said.

It was a rough finish for him personally. He scored 24, but he went 0-for-4 from the field when the game was on the line, and Memphis made the most of it.The Warriors also play in Phoenix on Saturday, their first back-to-back of the season. According to reports, Curry will probably not play, though he plans to talk to the medical staff first. It is not a final decision, and it is clear the Warriors are easing him into the year.

How the Warriors let this one get away

It was a see-saw game from the opening minutes. Golden State trailed by as many as eight early, then Draymond Green and Gary Payton II hit back-to-back threes to start a 10-0 run. Brandin Podziemski left the game early but came back late in the quarter. He stole the ball from former teammate Quinten Post, hit a three, and then drove for a buzzer-beating layup that gave the Warriors a one-point lead.

Memphis pushed its lead to 13 in the second quarter. The Warriors fought back with a 19-4 run to take the lead late in the third, and in the fourth they led by as many as 13. Then it fell apart. The Grizzlies tied the game with a 10-2 run in the final minute, and a pair of big buckets and a free throw sealed it.

Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg had a night to remember, with his first career double-double: 18 points, 12 rebounds and six assists. He's the first Warriors rookie to put up those numbers in a game since Chris Webber in 1994. Fellow rookie Graham Ike also made his first start and scored 10 points. Five Warriors reached double figures in all.

None of it was enough. The Warriors head to Phoenix next to open a three-game road trip, and they come back to Chase Center on Oct. 30 to face the Lakers.