Golden State beats Memphis, 101-86, in Game 1 of West semifinals

Stephen Curry had 22 points and seven assists, and the Golden State Warriors wore down the undermanned Memphis Grizzlies in a 101-86 victory in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals Sunday in Oakland, Calif.

Klay Thompson added 18 points and Draymond Green scored 16 to help the top-seeded Warriors roll to their 21st straight victory at raucous Oracle Arena. They led by nine at the half, 20 late in the third quarter and never let the Grizzlies build any momentum in the fourth.

Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is Tuesday night in Oakland.

Marc Gasol had 21 points and nine rebounds, and Zach Randolph finished with 20 points and nine rebounds for a Memphis team missing point guard Mike Conley. He sat on the bench in a suit, his left eye still swollen, as he continues to recover from surgery to repair broken bones in his face.

It’s unclear when, or if, Conley will return in the series.

The Grizzlies can use all the help they can get now. Curry, the most-valuable-player favorite, got off to a slow start before joining the sweet-shooting performance Golden State put on in front of its home crowd.

The Warriors shot 50.6%, including 46.4% from three-point range (13 for 28), to keep fans that formed a sea of golden yellow shirts roaring all afternoon. Memphis shot 45.2% but was just three for 12 (25%) from beyond the arc.

So much for any rust after the Warriors’ first-round sweep of New Orleans earned them an eight-day layoff.

Curry pushed the pace from start to finish, and the Grizzlies never could slow Golden State down. The Warriors went ahead by 16 in the second quarter and looked ready to rout the road team early.

That would have to wait.

The Grizzlies charged back behind their big physical frontcourt of Randolph and Gasol to slice the deficit to seven, but Curry came back with a couple of threes to put the Warriors up, 61-52, at the half.

Washington 104, at Atlanta 98: Bradley Beal shook off a sprained ankle to score 28 points and the Wizards remained unbeaten in the postseason, knocking off the top-seeded Hawks in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Taking advantage of a week off since their sweep of Toronto in the opening round, the Wizards wore down the Hawks in the fourth quarter. Otto Porter scored a couple of big baskets coming down the stretch and Marcin Gortat sealed it with a layin off a pass from John Wall with 14.6 seconds remaining.

The Wizards became the first team in NBA history to win four straight Game 1s on the road, improving to 8-1 in the playoffs away from D.C. over the last two years.

The Hawks needed six games to beat eight-seeded Brooklyn and had to open this best-of-seven series with about a 36-hour turnaround. After racing to a 37-26 lead after the first quarter, Atlanta couldn’t make anything in the fourth.

Even with plenty of good looks, the Hawks shot just five for 28 in the final period, including one for 10 from three-point range.

The frustration for the home team was epitomized by one crucial possession in the closing minutes. The Hawks kept giving themselves extra chances, hustling for five offensive rebounds. But they missed six straight shots before the Wizards finally grabbed possession, the crowd groaning louder and louder with each ball that clanked off the rim.

DeMarre Carroll had another big game for Atlanta with 24 points, but he went scoreless in the final quarter. He had plenty of company. Kyle Korver made only five of 15 shots, Al Horford was seven for 19, and Jeff Teague went four for 14.