OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Golden State Warriors held off the undermanned Memphis Grizzlies 106-94 with a devastating closing flourish to finish a dogged foe. Memphis leveraged a bully-ball style throughout the game up until the end, when the Warriors zoomed past. For much of the action, a great Grizzlies performance was held at bay by Klay Thompson's hot shooting (Thompson finished 12-of-18 for a game-high 31 points).

Even without Marc Gasol (foot), the Grizzlies weren't exactly spread thin down low. With the lumbering Zach Randolph starting in place of the Spaniard, Memphis controlled the middle at the beginning of the game. The Grizzlies were 15-of-20 for 30 points in the paint in the first half, and 11-of-14 in the restricted area.

Memphis eventually cooled down, as Golden State ramped up its defensive intensity later in the action, as it so often does.

"We just picked up our intensity," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said after the game. "Most of the second half I thought our defense was much better. I thought Steph [Stephen Curry] put good pressure on the ball. I thought Andre [Iguodala], Shaun [Livingston], Matt [Barnes], Ian [Clark], David [West] -- we had good energy from our bench guys. I thought that fueled our offense a little bit."

The Warriors did not, however, have one of their customary lights-out third quarters -- save for Thompson. Thompson went for 12 points on 5-of-5 shooting in the first eight minutes of the third quarter, eking out a modest lead for Golden State before Memphis closed the gap right before the fourth.

For much of the night, the Grizzlies were arguably outplaying Golden State, only to see their hard work undone by Thompson's hot shooting. That's how it goes for the Warriors many nights. Even when they don't have their best, elite 3-point shooting offers a margin of error too large to squander.

The Warriors had other things working in their favor Sunday, though. Andre Iguodala continues his role as the best sixth man in basketball, regardless of whether he's getting an award for his efforts. Iguodala scored 20 points on eight shots, wisely using the threat of Stephen Curry's gravity to create two driving opportunities (one to draw a foul, another for a vigorous slam).

Iguodala, who usually plays the public role of grizzled cynic, was far from that in post game. After a few protestations, he sauntered to the podium and gave an inspiring, zen-like explanation for his recent run of good play: "Just being locked in. You know, if there's any message I say verbally to some of the other guys is being locked in. When you're locked in and have good intentions you know, things will go your way. And just making the right plays, making the right basketball plays, being unselfish, it will come back around. There's karmic ways about the game."

As for Curry, he was an effective distributor when not acting as a decoy for Iguodala highlight plays. Steph doled out 11 assists and nailed five 3-pointers, two of which helped to break the Grizzlies' collective back in the fourth quarter.

That final quarter was a disaster for the opponent, as Golden State's defense overwhelmed a game that was getting called loosely. The Grizzlies finished the stanza shooting 5-of-25, scoring 13 points.

It was expected that the depleted Memphis offense might sputter eventually, but it usually has the defense to keep things close. In this case, the lack of Gasol meant plenty of Randolph waddling through pick-and-rolls. That caused a leak in the Memphis defense that could not be stopped.

All in all, it was a businesslike win for a Warriors team that needs every one it can get. It faces perhaps the toughest back-to-back possible in Houston on Tuesday, followed by San Antonio on Wednesday. Golden State might have been late to the party, but given what it's facing, it's hard to blame a team for pacing itself on Sunday somewhat.

The Warriors have been, in Iguodala's parlance, "locked in" of late. Those "good intentions" have paid dividends on this win streak, and, if they remain, will finally secure the 1-seed.