Curry-less Warriors Have Two Different Offenses in Memphis
Without three rotation players Friday and four Saturday, the Warriors grabbed a split in Memphis in two drastically different games.
Golden State (22-21) defeated the Memphis Grizzlies (19-20) 116-103 on Friday, but lost to the team directly below it in the standings Saturday by a score of 111-103.
The Warriors were without Eric Paschall and James Wiseman – the two had flown back to the Bay Area in accordance with COVID-19 protocols – and Stephen Curry because of a tailbone contusion suffered in Wednesday’s victory in Houston. Kevon Looney would join his two teammates in the front court by missing Saturday’s game, also sidelined for the second leg of the back-to-back because of COVID-19 protocols.
Golden State kicked off its Tennessee two-step with a resounding victory at FedExForum, propelled by the best scoring performance from Andrew Wiggins in his Warrior career. Wiggins dropped 27 points in the first half, a career-high in a half for the 2014 No. 1 overall pick, and finished the contest with 40 points and eight rebounds.
Wiggins and Draymond Green were tied for the team lead in plus/minus at +24, as the latter recorded a double-double without points, grabbing 11 rebounds and dishing out 13 assists.
With Curry’s picking up a DNP, Jordan Poole got the start at the one and continued his impressive run since leaving the G League Bubble. Poole had 25 points on 10-of-15 from the field and 3-of-6 from distance.
The road side led 34-31 with 11:20 left in the second quarter Friday, but nine points from Poole and 15 from Wiggins helped Golden State close the half on a 33-17 run to take a 19-point lead into the break.
Scoring was relatively even for the rest of the contest, with the Western Conference foes tying in the third quarter before a 31-25 Grizzlies final period rounded out the Warriors’ victory. While the other six of Steve Kerr’s bench players combined for just 13 points, Damion Lee poured in 21 points, good enough to outscore every Memphis player.
Grizzlies guards Ja Morant and Grayson Allen each chipped in 14 points to lead the losing side, with Morant nearly crucifying Green in the second quarter on a dunk attempt, which did not fall as the second-year Murray State product got fouled.
Another second-year player – big man Alen Smailagic – had his season debut Friday with two minutes off the bench, and got his first career start Saturday filling in for Looney at center.
Smailagic opened the game with a three pointer, but was subbed out in the first five minutes after picking up a trio of fouls. Golden State opened the game scuffling from the field, going 4-of-20 in the first period, but 16 trips to the line and six forced turnovers had the Warriors down 28-24 heading into the second quarter.
They would finish the half shooting just 31% from the field, but defended in their own right, holding the Grizzlies without a field goal for a five-minute stretch in the second quarter. Poole led all scorers at the break with 15 points as Golden State held a 51-49 halftime lead. He finished with a game-high 26 points.
Memphis would take the lead back and push it to as many as 11 points in the third quarter, but buckets from Juan Toscano-Anderson, Poole and Wiggins cut its advantage to 82-79.
Golden State struggled to score in the fourth quarter, playing without a listed center as Smailagic was relegated to the bench after struggling in his first career start. Green was able to effectively stifle eighth-year center Jonas Valanciunas down the stretch – limiting him to a single basket in the fourth quarter – but the Warriors were unable to execute on the defensive glass.
The Grizzlies had two offensive boards immediately leading to scores in the final two minutes, which coupled with an untimely Wiggins turnover sealed Golden State’s fate.
Still ninth in the Western Conference, the Warriors will return home for a single game against the 76ers, the East’s best team which will be without injured MVP front-runner Joel Embiid.