Golden State coach Steve Kerr loses the plot during epic NBA blow-up

Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr was ejected from his side's 123-95 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies after one of the all-time blow-ups in the NBA.

Kerr was absent for the second half of the match after being given his marching orders, following an explosive end to the second quarter of the match in Memphis.

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The Golden State coach was left fuming after witnessing one of the worst first halves this season for the admittedly under-strength Warriors.

However, his mood was further soured after Jordan Poole's buzzer-beating attempt was blocked by Grizzlies guard De'Anthony Melton as the clock expired.

Kerr leapt off the bench and screamed for the officials to call a goaltend against the Grizzlies player.

However, Kerr's angry appeals fell on deaf ears as the referees merely signalled the end of the first half.

The 56-year-old coach was clearly livid and could be seen waving his finger and yelling at two officials before being hit with a pair of technical fouls.

It's unlikely Kerr's temperament improved drastically during the rest of the game - wherever it was he ended up watching from - as the Grizzlies solidified their hold on second place in the NBA Western Conference.

Desmond Bane scored 22 points, while De'Anthony Melton and Dillon Brooks added 21 points each as Memphis opened up a five-game lead over the third-place Warriors in the conference.

Kyle Anderson added 13 points in what was a fifth straight win for Memphis, and ninth in 10 games.

Poole led Golden State with 25 points, and Moses Moody finished with 18. Jonathan Kuminga scored 14 points as Golden State dropped its third straight and lost for the sixth time in seven games.

Golden State played without leading scorer Stephen Curry, who has missed six games with a left foot sprain.

Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Otto Porter Jr also sat out under various injury management situations, with Golden State playing its second in back-to-backs games on the road.

That put the Warriors in an unfavourable position facing the Grizzlies.

Memphis was without leading scorer Ja Morant, who missed his fifth straight game with right knee soreness, and Jaren Jackson Jr, who sat out with right thigh soreness.

Pascal Siakam bags season-high in Toronto win

In Toronto, Pascal Siakam scored four of his season-best 40 points in overtime before fouling out and added 13 rebounds as the hosts Toronto Raptors defeated the undermanned Boston Celtics 115-112.

Boston was without Jayson Tatum (knee), Jaylen Brown (knee), Robert Williams (knee) and Al Horford (personal).

Dejounte Murray scored a career-high 33 points to help the San Antonio Spurs hold on for a 123-120 win over the Houston Rockets and to inch closer to the final play-in spot in the Western Conference.

It was the fourth straight victory for the Spurs, who moved within one-half game of the Los Angeles Lakers for the 10th spot in the West.

The Atlanta Hawks got 29 points from Bogdan Bogdanovic and double-doubles from Clint Capela and Trae Young to defeat the Indiana Pacers 132-123.

The New York Knicks kept their flickering playoff hopes alive by fending off the Chicago Bulls 109-104 while the Miami Heat broke a season-worst four-game losing streak with a 123-100 over Sacramento.

In Charlotte, the Denver Nuggets held on to beat the Charlotte Hornets 113-109.

with AAP

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