The Golden State Warriors appeared to be cruising toward their first victory of the 2026-27 NBA season. Instead, an almost unbelievable late-game collapse turned their home opener into a nightmare, as the Memphis Grizzlies stormed back from a 12-point deficit to steal a dramatic 111-108 victory at Chase Center on Friday night.
With just 3:47 remaining in the fourth quarter, Golden State held a seemingly comfortable 106-94 lead following a three-pointer from De’Anthony Melton. The Warriors had momentum, home-court advantage and Stephen Curry leading the charge.
Then everything fell apart. Golden State missed its final nine field-goal attempts, completely losing its offensive rhythm while Memphis unleashed a devastating 17-0 run.
Former Warriors guard Ty Jerome played a crucial role in the comeback, knocking down a massive three-pointer with 1:24 remaining to bring Memphis within a single point at 106-105.
Curry subsequently had a three-point attempt blocked by Zach Edey, while Jaylen Wells tied the game at the free-throw line. After Curry and Brandin Podziemski both missed opportunities to regain the lead, Grizzlies rookie Cameron Boozer delivered the decisive blow.
The third overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft converted a difficult turnaround jumper with 20.1 seconds remaining, giving Memphis its first lead since the third quarter.
Things went from bad to worse for Golden State when Draymond Green committed an offensive foul on the following possession and subsequently received a technical foul with 12.8 seconds left. Jerome converted the technical free throw before adding a layup, effectively sealing the remarkable comeback.
@opencourtWarriors Suffer Stunning Late-Game Meltdown As Grizzlies Erase 12-Point Deficit With Incredible 17-0 Run 🥶💀
The Warriors managed only two more points, both from Yaxel Lendeborg at the free-throw line with half a second remaining.
Jerome finished with a game-high 28 points, continuing his impressive start to the season after scoring a career-high 45 in Memphis’ opening victory over Utah. Boozer was equally outstanding, recording 25 points, 13 rebounds and six assists, while Wells contributed 17 points.
For Golden State, Curry led the way with 24 points but failed to score after hitting an early fourth-quarter three-pointer. Podziemski added 18 points, while Lendeborg impressed in his home debut with 18 points, 13 rebounds and six assists.
The defeat leaves Steve Kerr’s team at 0-2, marking the first time since the 2020-21 campaign that Golden State has opened a season with consecutive losses. Memphis, meanwhile, improved to 2-0.
For a Warriors team already dealing with uncertainty surrounding Kristaps Porziņģis and its frontcourt rotation, the loss raises further questions about its ability to close out games. But beyond any roster concerns, Friday’s collapse came down to execution.
Golden State needed just a handful of successful possessions to protect a 12-point lead with less than four minutes remaining. Instead, the Warriors went completely cold, watched Memphis score 17 unanswered points and allowed a game they seemingly had won to slip away.
