The Golden State Warriors lost to the Memphis Grizzlies 111-108 in their home opener on Friday, despite leading by 12 points with just 3:35 remaining in the fourth quarter. 

De'Anthony Melton drilled a 23-foot three-pointer off a Draymond Green assist to give the Warriors a 106-94 lead at the time. What happened next borders on inexplicable. 

An experienced Warriors side couldn't milk the clock and see the game out, allowing the young Grizzlies to erupt in an ultimately decisive 17-0 run that flipped the contest on its head. 

Curry's post-game smirk felt like an "if you don't laugh, you'll cry" moment. 

"There are losses, and then there are ways that you lose, like tonight, that kind of stings a little bit more," he said. 

The Warriors flatly had no right to lose this game. 

Curry is too great to have let that happen, and even without him, the narrative would have been the same. 

And yet, after the Warriors failed to strengthen the roster around their aging superstar in yet another offseason, the 2026-27 campaign is off to an almost poetically bad start. 

Following up an opening-night blowout defeat to the Los Angeles Lakers with a collapse against the Grizzlies, who are in the middle of pressing the reset button, is like rubbing salt into an open wound. 

"The nature of the NBA, everybody says there is another game tomorrow," Curry added. "But the idea of how important every game is for us to build the right habits, the right execution, and the mentality to try to win- the fact that you gave one away like this- means you might lose a little sleep over it tonight, but try to bounce back tomorrow."

The harsh reality for the Warriors, though, is that it's tough to see this early slump getting better anytime soon. 

At 0-2, they face the Phoenix Suns on Saturday in the second half of a back-to-back, with Curry and Brandin Podziemski (back) already all but confirmed to sit out due to rest and injury management, respectively. 

Golden State's next three after that? At Denver, at Minnesota, and at home against the Lakers. The Warriors could be 0-6 before they know it. 

Curry is one of the players you want in the clutch. But he was the opposite against the Grizzlies. 

The 38-year-old still led the Warriors in scoring with 24 points but shot just 5-for-15 from the field and 3-for-10 from beyond the arc. He found most of his success at the free-throw line (11-for-11). 

In a nutshell, the Warriors should have been prepared for this long ago. Curry is no longer in his prime, and while he still plays at an all-time great level, he can have an off night every now and again. Where was his help? 

Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg tried, delivering an 18-point, 13-rebound double-double — the first of his career — along with six assists and three steals, but his six turnovers stained his display. Podziemski added 18 points in 33 minutes in his season debut. But it was not enough. 

As currently constructed, Golden State is not deep enough to compete against a combined 53 points from former Warrior Ty Jerome (28) and rookie Cameron Boozer (25), let alone the top of the Western Conference. 

Will their fortunes change when Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody — and if —Kristaps Porzingis return? Will they even still be above water? Recent history suggests no. But time will tell.