Warriors leave Memphis tied 1-1, but at what cost?
There will be vengeance in Chase Center.
“It’s not a series until the home team loses a game” is one of those old school NBA adages the legend Pat Riley used that always lingers with me whenever I get invested into a playoff series. The Golden State Warriors definitely made it a series by that metric when they won Game 1 in Memphis, but I can’t blame Dub Nation for getting greedy and looking to take Game 2 as well.
Unfortunately, the Grizzlies wouldn’t give us that, as they survived the second contest 106-101.
Things I didn’t like
If there was ever a bad shooting game for your grandpa to start screaming and throwing things at the TV, this was it. This was the prototypical “Live by the 3, die by the 3” cautionary tale that the OG’s have been preaching before Golden State revolutionized the game with elite long range bombing.
The Dubs shot 7-of-38 from the field from beyond the arc. Here’s how their top four shooting weapons did:
Stephen Curry 3-of-11
Klay Thompson 2-of-12
Andrew Wiggins 1-of-7
Jordan Poole 1-of-6
G-g-g-ghastly! This was one of those games where I just shrugged my shoulders and chalked one up to the “jumpshooting teams can’t win championships” crowd because this would be Exhibit A for what happens when a team goes Gatorade Blue Frost cold but keeps hunting those shots. That and bad turnovers were self-inflicted wounds they couldn’t overcome in a hostile playoff environment.
Speaking of wounds…just what the hell was Grizzlies guard Dillon Brooks thinking when he gave a flying clothesline to a helpless Gary Payton II in the air?! I’ve seen ass whuppings in open gym runs for LESS. I’m not gonna share that clip here because it’s just gutwrenching, but it ended up with GPII getting a fractured elbow that puts his postseason in jeopardy.
If Draymond can get a flagrant-2 foul and get EJECTED for casually smacking a dude across the face in Game 1, is Brooks going to be arrested and put into solitary confinement for this egregious attack? A flagrant-2 just isn’t enough for that dangerous infraction, in my humble opinion. I’ll be very interested to see how the league disciplines this.
Another thing I didn’t like? Ja Morant morphing into prime Dwyane Wade and going crazy on the Golden State defense after GP2 had to leave the game. Morant hit every big shot the team needed down the stretch and made the right reads to get his teammates the ball. 47 points on 15-of-31 shooting, with 5-of-12 shooting from beyond the arc is insane. Toss in 8 rebounds, 8 assists, and 3 steals and you’re looking at arguably the single greatest individual performance in Grizzlies’ playoff history.
All credit due to this young star, but did this look like a carry to you on this clutch basket he hit?
Things I Like
The Warriors outscored the Grizzlies for the second game in a row in points in the paint, 60-42.
The Dubs also outrebounded Memphis for the second game in a row, 52-47.
The Dubs outshot Memphis from the field 42% - 39%.
Andrew Wiggins finally cursed somebody out after posterizing them, turning on that rage switch we always knew was embedded somewhere deep inside his polite exterior.
I also REALLY like how activated DNHQ has been during this postseason. You all found your way to this corner of the interwebs during the post-Kevin Durant dark days of Warriors basketball when the team was leaning on Ky Bowman and Eric Paschall.
Now here we are having elite playoff basketball drama unfold before our very eyes, and you good folks have this community poppin’ like fish grease. Look at how many comments were on the Game 2 Game Thread!
Thank you for making DNHQ a destination spot for Warriors fans across the globe, and we look forward to keeping it rocking with you all postseason. Now, please tell me what you think an appropriate punishment for Brooks’ heinous basketball actions should be…
Buddies. You have no idea how much envious bullsh*t I have to fight against here in Italy. It’s a Fort Alamo against all other NBA teams supporters. They don’t know sh*t about NBA, about us, about the situation, all they do is throw garbage to us, call Dray a criminal, call us whining pussies, celebrate the Grizzs as the righteous vengeance against us, and so on.
I keep on fighting against them. I’m a f*cking Warrior.
Saturday evening, at Chase, remember that we’re fighting also against that ignorant bunch. Scream loud, louder. Scream for me too.
Scream for GP2. Scream for all the wounded Warriors.
Make Chase shake. We’re on a vengeance.
We’re surrounded, and that’s extremely dangerous…
for those who siege us.
S.
So after tonight, Bucks-Celtics and Warriors-Grizzlies series are tied 1-1, while the Heat-76ers and Suns-Mavericks series are 2-0 for the #1 seeded teams.