Tag: Warriors

Categories
Sports

Grizzlies Blow Out Warriors

Tyus Jones shoots a floater against the Golden State Warriors. (Credit: Joe Murphy/NBAE for Getty Images)

On Thursday night at FedExForum, the Memphis Grizzlies beat the Golden State Warriors in a wire-to-wire victory by a score of 131-110. 

Memphis improved to 39-26 overall and 27-5 at home, while the Warriors dropped to 34-33 and 7-26 away from San Francisco. 

For the game, the Grizzlies had a 53.8% field goal percentage and a 45% three-point clip (18-of-40). 

Memphis won the points in the paint battle 56-36, outrebounded Golden State 42-32, and dished out 36 assists.

Tidbits 

Ja Morant and Steven Adams

The Grizzlies announced Monday that Morant would be away for at least four more games after being away from the team following an incident in Colorado.

Morant missed his third straight game on Thursday against the Warriors. Prior to the game, Coach Taylor Jenkins told reporters about Morant’s absence, “I can’t share details. There’s definitely steps that are going to have to be met personally and professionally as he deals with some stuff personally to get better. Then obviously the expectations on the team, he’s going to have some things that he’s going to have to clear to know what the expectations are when he does return. Again, he’s out at least the next four games. I know everyone wants to know, ‘What’s this going to be?’ It’s the hot topic for sure, but he’s taking time. His responsibility to get better personally, that’s a big factor in this, and also, his responsibility to the team is something we’re addressing with him. He’s fully on board and has been communicative with our group.”

Per a medical update released yesterday, Steven Adams underwent a stem cell injection as part of his ongoing recovery process for a PCL sprain in his right knee. Adams’ condition will be reevaluated in four weeks. 

The news about this setback in Adams’ recovery, combined with Brandon Clarke being done for the season after an Achilles tear, leaves Memphis at a disadvantage in the center position. 

In the three meetings so far this season between these two teams, the home team has taken the victory. The Grizzlies are due to face off against the Warriors again March 18th at FedExForum for their final meeting of the regular season, so here is hoping that pattern continues. 

Any meeting between these two teams tends to be chippy, and this one was no exception. There was also the underlying expectation of a clash between Draymond Green and Dillon Brooks. Spoiler alert: Brooks handily won this round, and despite what Green may say about being unbothered, his postgame remarks told a different story. 

Everyone that watched the 2016 NBA finals knows the truth.

The Grizzlies opened the game and immediately asserted dominance, racking up 48 points in the first quarter, which is the highest-scoring opening frame in franchise history. Heading into the second quarter, the Grizzlies carried a 20-point lead, and despite Steph Curry being very Steph Curry, the Warriors went into the second half still down by 18. They outscored Memphis 34-22 in the third period but were not able to continue that in the fourth quarter. 

As of late, the fourth quarter has been like kryptonite to the Grizzlies, but thankfully that would not be the case here. The Warriors managed to cut the Grizzlies lead to 6, and Memphis responded by putting their collective feet on the Warriors’ necks and not letting up. Memphis outscored Golden State 32-17 in that final frame and that was the ballgame. The Warriors shooting 10% from three-point range in the fourth, and the Grizzlies shooting 62.5% from long range, was the nail in the coffin. 

By The Numbers:

Tyus Jones had a team-high 22 points, 4 rebounds, 11 assists, and 3 steals.

Jaren Jackson, Jr. finished the night with 21 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block.

Desmond Bane also put up 21 points, along with 2 rebounds and 4 assists.

Dillon Brooks closed out with 14 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1 steal.

Santi Aldama lit it up from the bench with 15 points and 7 rebounds on 3 of 5 shooting from beyond the arc.

Who Got Next? 

The Grizzlies will finish out this two-game homestand on March 11th, facing off against the Dallas Mavericks. Tip-off is at 7 PM CST.

Categories
Beyond the Arc Sports

Iguodala Acquisition Means Decision Time for Grizzlies

CREDIT: NBA.com

Sunday, during the first night of NBA free agency, the Memphis Grizzlies, as expected, were quiet as far as trying to sign a new player. But that didn’t mean that they weren’t active. The team acquired veteran wing Andre Iguodala in a deal with the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors were desperately trying to come off of Iguodala’s contract in an effort to make room to facilitate a sign-and-trade involving Kevin Durant and former Brooklyn Nets point guard, D’Angelo Russell. The Grizzlies were able to absorb Iguodala’s contract into their own $25 million trade exception that was created as a result of the Mike Conley trade. As compensation, the Grizzlies also received a conditional future first-round draft pick from the Warriors.  NBA.com

Andre Iguodala

The pick has very favorable protections for the Grizzlies — starting with a top four pick protection in 2024. If not conveyed, the pick becomes number-one overall protected in 2025 and is completely unprotected in 2016. Since Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green will be 36, 34, and 34 years old, respectively, in 2024, the assumption is that the Warriors will be rebuilding by the time that the trade is available. If so, the Grizzlies more than likely would be receiving a lottery pick from them.

This could be an enviable opportunity for the Grizzlies, in the event they are able to acquire a high-draft pick from a Warriors team in transition. The Grizzlies could add a young player to their own roster or they could use the pick as a trade piece between now and then. Since the Grizzlies also own a future Utah Jazz first-round draft pick, they could package the two assets along with other players to acquire a star level talent via trade. This happens often when star players decide to part ways with their team and the team lays desirable assets on the trading block to acquire or replace a missing piece.

Iguodala should definitely be able to contribute and help this rebuilding Grizzlies team — on and off the court — if that is the direction that the team decides to go. A former NBA Finals MVP, Iguodala is a proven professional and one of the best defenders and crunch-time shot makers in the league. At 35, he is past the form that once had him labeled as one of the most athletic and versatile wings in the league, but he’s still a capable contributor who can help accelerate the Grizzlies’ rebuilding process. Whether Iguodala is willing to be a part of a team that’s rebuilding is still a question mark.

One of the best outcomes would involve the Grizzlies being able to trade Iguadola to a contender for another future asset before the coming season’s trade deadline. In the event that the Grizzlies are able to obtain not only the pick that came from the Warriors, but a second draft pick for Iguadala, it would be a definite win for their new front office.

There has also been rising speculation about the Grizzlies simply buying out the $16 million remaining on the final season of Iguadala’s current contract. This would allow Iguodala to go to any team he chooses. There are reports that if the Grizzlies did agree to a buyout agreement with Iguodala, he would join Lebron James and Anthony Davis with the Lakers. This narrative has been inflated by some in the national media. If Iguodala does not, in fact, want to be a part of a rebuilding and non-contending team in Memphis, that would be understandable. My hope is that the Grizzlies don’t allow their hand to be influenced by those media narratives. Iguodala is under contract with the Grizzlies now, and, regardless of anyone else’s opinion, it’s ultimately their decision about what to do with him.

The Grizzlies may not want the blow-back of negative criticism that could come if Iguodala says he wants to be traded and the team holds him “against his will.” But, whether it is mutually agreed upon that Iguodala can be a benefit to the team or not, the hope here is that the Andre Iguodala era in Memphis — however long it lasts — is one that ends on a positive note for all.

Categories
Beyond the Arc Sports

Is It Time To Worry About Mike Conley?

What’s going on with Mike Conley? His shot is cold from midrange and from deep. While he’s shown surprising speed and burst — considering he’s only been playing full speed basketball for about a month after having not played since November 13th, 2017 — his floaters and shots close to the rim aren’t falling.

I think it’s still too early to know for sure what Conley’s new normal is, but currently he appears to be experiencing a shooting slump and hasn’t gotten his legs back. He’s consistently mentioned the importance of — and that he’s working on — his conditioning in the few weeks he’s been back on the court.

In Ten Takes after Ten Games, Chris Herrington broke down a couple things that alarmed him about Conley in Wednesday’s game against the Nuggets. There was a moment where Conley sped between two Nuggets defenders to tap a loose ball downcourt for a Garrett Temple dunk, instead of handily beating his defenders to the ball and pushing the fast break himself. Herrington also pointed out that Conley often looked a little tired, and struggled to turn the corner like he used to in the game against Denver.

Are these things indicative of new physical limitations that Conley (and the Grizzlies) will have to deal with? I don’t know yet. But consider that the Grizzlies played Wednesday night’s home game coming off of a West Coast road trip that featured the Jazz and a back-to-back ending against Golden State.

Conley played heavy minutes in each game, including both back-to-backs. He was guarding Steph Curry till late Monday night in Golden State, flew back to Memphis, and played the 9-1 Nuggets on Wednesday. Jamal Murray nearly had a 50 point game against the Celtics before his visit to Memphis. I don’t think we have to hit the panic button on Mike Conley yet. We’ll need more time, and he’ll need more time to get his legs back.

It is somewhat alarming that Conley is playing heavier minutes this year (31.5) than he did in his short stint last season (31.1). And this is happening when Conley has much better backup in terms of handling the ball and initiating the offense.

We’ve seen Wayne Selden, Kyle Anderson, and especially Shelvin Mack afford Conley the ability to play off the ball, and that’s kicked the Grizzlies offense up a notch from when Conley had to facilitate everything. If Conley’s experiencing a shooting slump and conditioning is a work in progress, I think the Grizzlies offense could vault higher than where it currently resides, in the middle of the pack.

I’m not sure what Coach Bickerstaff could’ve done to get Conley more rest on the West Coast road trip and the home game against Denver. The Jazz and Nuggets games were close, and the Grizzlies collapsed in the second halves of the Suns and Warriors games. As improved as the roster is, the Grizzlies can’t live without Conley when trying to come back or close out a game.

Conley remains the crux for the Grizzlies’ hopes for a meaningful playoff run. To me, his game looks like it’s almost back where it used to be, minus shooting and conditioning, but maybe he isn’t the player he used to be. How will it all play out?
¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Categories
Beyond the Arc Sports

Postgame Notebook: Grizzlies 99, Warriors 93 — When a Win is More Than a Win

CREDIT: LARRY KUZNIEWSKI

The Grizzlies set a new tone, on and off the court, Friday night.

The Lead: With his team standing at a crossroads in the aftermath of last week’s Rudy Gay trade and its attendant controversies, Lionel Hollins used his pre-game media availability for a “calming-the-waters” address that was at once emotional, positive, and tinged with defiance. An hour later, his team took the floor and replicated that tone.

The first half was thrilling if out of character: A team that has, at times, struggled to top 85 points in a game blasted out 63 in the half, with more than 30 in each quarter. And how those points were generated was even more unlikely than the score itself: On 7-15 three-point shooting, with Tony Allen (13 points on 5-5 shooting) and Austin Daye (12 on 4-5, including 3-4 from deep) leading the way.

That was never going to be sustainable, and the third quarter, in which the Grizzlies scored only 14 points and allowed the Warriors, for the first time, to gain a lead, was all too familiar.

But the fourth quarter was vintage “grit and grind” Grizzlies. Marc Gasol made plays from the post. Zach Randolph battled on the block. Tony Allen moved onto the Warriors’ top scorer, Stephen Curry, and chased him ragged, with Mike Conley fighting through screens to stick to 6’7” shooter Klay Thompson and make it possible.

The best all-around performance since the trade?

“Definitely,” said Hollins after the game. “And against a very good opponent. I thought our team played really well. It was a baby step in terms of coming back and being a good team, which we haven’t been, and playing with passion and energy. I’m proud of the effort tonight.

Categories
Beyond the Arc Sports

Game 49 Preview: Grizzlies vs. Warriors

The Grizzlies return home for a big one tonight against the Golden State Warriors, a team only half a game back of the Grizzlies in the Western Conference playoff standings.

As always, when time permits, three thoughts:

Center Andrew Bogut is back for the Warriors.

  • Center Andrew Bogut is back for the Warriors.

1. Meeting Down at the Crossroads: These two teams have both struggled after strong starts. After opening 14-3, the Grizzlies have gone 16-15 since. The Warriors started 21-10 and have gone 9-9 since. And these declines have happened for reasons that are simultaneously similar and divergent.

For the Grizzlies, the great early start was driven by an unexpectedly and perhaps unsustainably explosive offense that garnered lots of national attention. That offense has now slid — and had plummeted well before the recent trades — from the Top 5 to 23rd in points per 100 possessions. For the Warriors, long a defensive sieve, it was a surprisingly — and perhaps unsustainably — stingy defense, even in the absence of center Andrew Bogut, that drove their rise up the standings. That defense has now tumbled from the Top 10 down to 17th in points allowed per 100 possessions.

2. Defending the Three: For the Grizzlies however, defense has actually been a bigger problem than offense of late. They gave up 10-24 three-point shooting to Atlanta in Wednesday night’s loss, much of that in transition. If that doesn’t tighten up tonight it could get ugly against a Warriors team that leads the NBA in three-point percentage at 39% (Atlanta is fourth at 38%).

Categories
Beyond the Arc Sports

Road Recap, Trade Chatter, Griz-Spurs Ticket Giveaway

CREDIT: LARRY KUZNIEWSKI

Rudy Gay

Road Recap: Grizzlies 94, Warriors 87: The Grizzlies completed a sweep of their three-game West Coast road in Oakland last night in what might be one of their better wins this season. Against a Warriors team that looks increasingly legitimate, the Grizzlies used good offense in the first half to build a lead and then overcame a rough third quarter for a major “grit-and-grind” effort down the stretch, scoring off turnovers and offensive rebounds hold on for the win. Lots of players made big plays late, with Jerryd Bayless’ break-starting block and Rudy Gay’s long corner jumper in the final two minutes standing out.

The win gave the Grizzlies a game-and-a-half lead over the Warriors for the fourth seed in the West and, more importantly, secured a tiebreaker over the Warriors on the season, making it a de facto 2.5 game lead.

The sweep was also impressive, even if previous opponents Sacramento and Phoenix aren’t very good. That hasn’t really mattered much for the Grizzlies. Over the past three-plus seasons, in which the Grizzlies have an overall winning record, they’d gone 15-29 on West Coast road trips (three games or more) only notching a winning records (2-1 each time) twice.

Rudy Trade Chatter: Trade chatter about Rudy Gay continues. I’ve got a column in this week’s paper on the subject, which you can read here. One thing I probably haven’t underscored enough in the two pieces I’ve written recently: I’m not campaigning for the team to trade Gay. I believe it’s become inevitable, though, with the only questions being when (this season or this summer) and for what, so I’ve moved on to those two questions. And while I’ve made the case that I think it’s possible to deal Gay this season and maintain the overall quality of the team — depending on the deal, obviously — I would also be perfectly happy to see the team stand pat and work on their roster/payroll issues this summer.

Categories
Beyond the Arc Sports

Game 2 Preview: Grizzlies at Warriors

3.7_GRIZZLIES-WARRIORS_1500MP4_640x360_2207620267.jpg

The Grizzlies will try to avoid coming home 0-2 when they face the Golden State Warriors in Oakland tonight (9:30 p.m. tip).

After dealing with injury problems in the preseason, the Warriors were able to start their optimal lineup in their own opener, and squeaked out an 87-85 win over the Phoenix Suns despite getting only 18 minutes from starting center Andrew Bogut (who was playing his first game since breaking his ankle in January) and suffering a combined 4-30 shooting performance from incumbent top scorers Stephen Curry and David Lee.

Three quick things to look for tonight:

1. Attack Lee and Landry: With Bogut limited and rookies Festus Ezeli and Draymond Green rounding out the frontcourt rotation, forwards David Lee and Carl Landry played 62 of 96 minutes up front for the Warriors in their first game. Both are pretty bad defenders and together? Let’s just say that Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol, and even Marreese Speights should all be able to have success when checked by either Lee or Landry. The Grizzlies post players have a chance to go large tonight.