Hell hath no fury like a Splash Brother scorned.

Stephen Curry went thermonuclear in Tuesday’s tournament action: 37 points, nine assists, six rebounds and five three-pointers in a thrilling win over Klay Thompson and the Dallas Mavericks.

Simply put, the Golden State Warriors are one of the best teams in basketball right now. They are 9-2, third in offensive rating and fifth in defensive rating. But they face a formidable opponent in the 7-5 Memphis Grizzlies, who are holding their own in the Western Conference despite injuries to Ja Morant, Desmond Bane and GG Jackson II.

The Warriors are the clear favorites for Friday night’s NBA Cup game, but the Grizzlies have covered the spread in six of their last seven games.

Memphis Grizzlies at Golden State Warriors

Time: Friday, 10pm ET
TV: ESPN
Streaming: Fubo (free trial)

How it stays close: Ja Morant’s hip injury is a huge setback. But Scotty Pippen Jr. looks like the real deal. He is averaging 14.1 points and 5.3 assists on 52.2 percent shooting over his last seven games. Although the stats were compared to a terrible Washington Wizards, Pippen and his father became the first father-son duo to record a triple-double since Dolph and Danny Schayes.

The Grizzlies are playing at the NBA’s second-fastest pace under Taylor Jenkins. They are packed with young players who are still cutting their teeth in the league. Zach Edey and Jay Huff have been surprisingly effective in the center spot, and Santi Aldama seems comfortable in the starting lineup. Five of Memphis’ top contributors are 24 years old or younger. They certainly have more to gain from Friday’s action.

How it breaks open: Well, the Warriors aren’t the Wizards at all. Steve Kerr’s team plays majestic basketball, and they are tough at home, where secondary players like Buddy Hield, Jonathan Kuminga and Andrew Wiggins feel extra comfortable and perform better.

How it gets flavored: The gray Chase Center field will be aesthetically pleasing and a welcome relief after last year’s copper and gold debacle. Kerr and Jenkins went at it from afar during their 2022 playoff series, with three ejections in the first three games and a series of deleted social media posts. Then there’s the litany of turmoil from Draymond Green to Jaren Jackson Jr. – the elbow to the face last season and the game-changing block in those 2022 playoffs. The Michigan State alumni are friends outside of work but consistently get at it on the floor.

John Hollinger on Jay Huff: He’s not a post threat, but he makes an offensive impact in two completely different ways. First, he is a rim runner who gets out in transition and can finish lobs, specializing in reverse dunks. However, he also serves as a three-point threat from the half court, having shot 43.8 percent from distance so far this year. Huff gets them up too, racking up 48 tries in his 185 minutes. The 7-foot center also provides rim protection, with a stellar 11.6 percent block rate and, most notably, a dramatically lower foul rate compared to his previous stops in the NBA.

That package has proven especially effective on an up-tempo Memphis team that has lent itself to depth and pace to stay afloat. At 26 years old and on his fourth team, Huff looks the part as a backup center and has three years left on his contract.

If there was a rivalry trophy it would be: The Jerry West Bowl

Head-to-head scoring leaders:

• Steph Curry – 46 points vs. Grizzlies in 2021
• Ja Morant – 47 points vs. Warriors in 2022

From five to wear both jerseys (minimum 20 matches with each):

G-Toney Douglas
G-Justin Holiday
F – Matt Barnes
F – Brian Cardinal
C-Marreese Speights
Bench – Sam Mack, JaMychal Green, Brandan Wright (plus active players Kyle Anderson and De’Anthony Melton)

Grizzlies vs Warriors Odds

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(Photo of Stephen Curry and Jaren Jackson Jr.: Justin Ford/Getty Images)