Despite Rumors Of Turmoil, Warriors Pull Off Signature Win Against Grizzlies
The last 24 hours for the Warriors have had no shortage of drama. In a bombshell report from writers Anthony Slater, Marcus Thompson II, and Sam Amick at The Athletic, it was revealed by anonymous sources that there’s some disconnect between the front office and the team itself. The major domino in question is centered around general manager Bob Myers, widely considered the architect behind the construction of Golden State’s dynasty, and his pending contract situation.
The article revealed concerns about the state of the roster - and the amount of inexperienced youth on it while competing for a championship repeat - most notably from Steve Kerr and Stephen Curry, as well as highlighting owner Joe Lacob’s increased involvement in personnel decisions.
A report like this releasing on game day - especially on such an important game day with the conference opponent and “rival” Memphis Grizzlies - can be rattling, and to a certain degree, there was evidence of some disconnect and potential ramifications on the court: The Warriors kicked off the game with 8 turnovers, finishing with 13 by the end of the half. The matchup was a foul-fest and it seemed like there was lacking discipline at times. Stephen Curry was ejected with a minute left and the score tied for throwing his mouthguard at the floor of the first row of seats, something the officials took exception to for whatever reason.
On the verge of completing a gritty comeback fueled by 10 points on perfect shooting in the final frame from their superstar who just got ejected, the Dubs traded a few buckets with Memphis in actions that showed their need for a bigger body… Up until the final possession, where Jordan Poole (who’s taking the brunt of the blame for Steph’s frustration-influenced kick-out because he missed an open pass) did this:
For the first time in what’s seemed like ages, the Warriors were on the right end of a nail-biter, and executed spectacularly instead of flaming out.
Jonathan Kuminga played spectacularly, providing some excellent defense and rim pressure to free up their shooters. Draymond Green played another excellent all-around game with 8 points, 13 boards, and 7 assists. Curry put up 34 on efficient splits despite getting fouled on almost every three he shot. Poole and Klay Thompson both scored 20+ while pitching in some assists and boards as well.
With frustration beginning to clearly mount around the organization, it was good to see Golden State get a particularly-scrappy win against a good team. Curry’s ejection could even be the catalyst to shift into the next gear and rattle off a winstreak: The Warriors have become somewhat infamous recently for such stretches whenever their star starts getting frustrated. Of particular note? When they won 9 games straight after he did this:
While the win against Memphis is a good start, there’s still some work to be done. The trade deadline is getting closer, and it’s becoming apparent that this roster construction is not only not producing the necessary results, but it’s not well-liked by the players and staff who have made the Warriors the $7.5 billion team they are now. If the reports of the concerns around the direction of the team are true, then something needs to happen to turn this team into a contender.
There are other issues as well, mostly on the mentality side, but last night showed that the Warriors can lock in and close out strong when they’re invested. Prior wins against the Grizzlies and their split season series against the Celtics (one a convincing win at home, the other a rough overtime loss which included 5 missed calls favoring Boston on the Last Two Minute report) show that they can turn it up when needed.
Arguably one of their biggest tests of the season approaches in a week from Tuesday, when they’ll meet the new-and-improved roster of the team they bounced in the first round of last season’s playoffs while at full strength themselves: The Denver Nuggets. Nikola Jokic has been on an MVP-level tear, and with the returns of Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr., they’re that much more dangerous this year. They’ve lost both of the season matchups to Denver already, but the midseason-mark will provide a good litmus test for what need they should choose to address in the next couple of weeks.
(Photo credit: Godofredo A. Vásquez / Associated Press)