Warriors show championship resilience in valiant win over Grizzlies in Game 1
Memphis wasn't dancing last night...
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Yeah the Dubs knocked off the Grizz 117-116 in Game 1 of their second round series and I’m happy to provide another golden scrapbook presentation of that wonderful moment…but first let’s rewind.
Imagine that I was going to put all my life’s financial savings on the line for the outcome of Game 1 between the Golden State Warriors and the #2 seeded Memphis Grizzlies… and some mysterious fortune teller had pulled out their crystal ball 15 minutes before the 12:30 PT tipoff and told me the harrowing conditions that lied ahead… I would NOT feel good about the bet.
HARROWING CONDITIONS
These Bears Can Shoot?
The Grizzlies’ mediocre distance shooters would have a three-point explosion. Jaren Jackson Jr. (shooting 32% from deep for the season) morphed into prime Dirk Nowitzki from behind the arc, hitting a playoff career high 6 triples on 9 attempts. Ja Morant hit four triples of his own despite only making a combined four for the entirety of his first round series against Minnesota. The Grizz would finish with 16 made threes.
The Refs Hate Us?
There were a billion calls that Dub Nation could point to as weird or downright disrespectful. But the referees throwing GSW’s lead defender and playmaker Draymond Green out for no apparent reason…in the first half?! Degree of difficulty: RATCHETED UP.
Steph and Klay can’t shoot?
The Splash Bros would combine to shoot 35% from the field, with Klay Thompson missing two crucial free throws (!) in the final seconds and Stephen Curry missing a WIIIIDE open dagger attempt.
(Btw Curry was 1-of-5 from the field in the fourth quarter).
END OF HARROWING CONDITIONS LIST (for time’s sake)
…Yeah I would not have felt good about placing any bet on the Dubs if I had foreknown all of those issues. AND YET HERE THEY STAND WITH A 1-0 LEAD BABY!
Memphis has been on my radar as the team I was most concerned about in the West because they have a young superstar in the making in Morant surrounded by athletic hoopers who throw their bodies around like bowling balls. Morant turbos to the lane and can score over multiple defenders, or he can kick to a wide open Grizz player, and if they miss then they all dive into the paint like crash test dummies to secure the rebound. Rinse, wash, repeat.
This is EXACTLY the type of team that has made Dub Nation nervous about not having another big man on the roster to hold down the paint. No James Wiseman, no Draymond Green, and no fantasy center from the waiver wire or trade scrap heap that Warriors fans demanded over the season. And yet the Warriors actually outscored Memphis in points in the paint 56-44 AND outrebounded them 51-47!
The Dubs out toughed the grittiest-and-grindiest team in the West with a team effort. Also, Jordan Poole went berserk:
And here’s the Splash Bros taking turns putting shackles on Morant with the game on the line as Gary Payton II assisted:
MAN! What a win. What a testament to the resilience of this team. After all the injuries and roster turmoil, it’s great to have a basketball team you can always believe in to find a way to get the job done. And how does a young team like Memphis respond to this jarring defeat on their homecourt in front of their adoring fans? The bullies got bullied…despite the refs taking Draymond off the court!
All this talk about Draymond "not changing his game" misses the point a bit. His prancing about and hand-waving antics after he found out he was ejected was embarassing and has nothing to do with his "game". Not to mention that childish ridiculous podcast. And the ill-advised appearance in the tunnel post-game to high-five his teammates in a downright silly show of "defiance". Draymond, seriously, you are not the victim here. This is really all quite cringe-y and stains your reputation. Prove your worth on the court, not off it.
Well, they made it enough of a game that they could justify fouling over and over again to end it.