What we learned as Warriors beat Grizz to stay undefeated in NBA Cup originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO – Matching the energy of Tuesday night just won’t happen three days later at Chase Center.
The air in the building during the return of Klay Thompson was that of an NBA playoff atmosphere. The mood on Friday night was buffering as often as millions streamed a show of a 58-year-old pigeon villain fighting a cartoon character cosplaying as a boxer.
A failed game was definitely on the table. Instead, the Warriors fought back early shooting struggles and outlasted the Ja Morant-less Memphis Grizzlies, 123-118.
Steph Curry in his previous two games scored a total of 73 points and made 12 3-pointers. The Grizzlies made it a point to face Curry wherever he went, which led to him scoring just 13 points in 26 minutes. Curry only took nine shots, going 4 of 9 overall and 3 of 7 on threes. But he added eight rebounds, five assists and four steals.
As the Warriors made 19 threes and had a 41.3 3-point percentage, the Grizzlies only made seven, with a lowly 16.7 3-point percentage. The Warriors also won the bench battle, 67-61.
Here are three takeaways from the Warriors improving to 10-2, as well as 2-0 in the NBA Cup.
Draymond From Downtown
On a night where Curry isn’t hell, every point counts. Especially from Draymond Green, and even more behind the 3-point line.
Green missed his first two 3-point attempts in the first quarter and didn’t attempt once in the second. But in the third, he connected on 2 of 4 shots from long range. That’s not exactly a heater, but historically it’s a big deal for the Green and Gold State as a whole.
Back-to-back threes early in the third quarter by Green gave the Warriors an 11-point lead on both makes. It also pushed his streak of hitting multiple threes to four consecutive games, equaling a career high. How big a deal is that? The Warriors are now 140-30 all-time in the regular season when he makes two or more 3-pointers in a game.
This past season, Green shot a career-high 39.5 percent on 3-pointers. After going 3 of 7 against the Grizzlies, Green is now shooting 45.2 percent from beyond the arc this season, making 19 of 42 attempts.
Difficulty For Waters
The Warriors were hit with the injury bug on Thursday when it was announced De’Anthony Melton sustained a sprained left ACL. Coach Steve Kerr in his pregame press conference said there is no timetable for Melton’s return yet, but he expects him to miss at least a portion of games. Then during the second quarter on Friday night, the Warriors were once again bitten by the plague of injury.
Lindy Waters III got his second start of the season, stepping in for Melton, and scored five points in the first quarter. His 3-pointer from the corner marked the Warriors’ first three points of the night.
With two minutes left in the first half, Waters was up eight points and made two threes. He also had a great block, but the result saw him on the ground and out for the game. Waters jumped from two feet to meet Santi Aldama at the rim to block him from behind. But when he landed, Waters’ left leg buckled and he immediately grabbed his left knee. Waters rolled on the floor to get out of the play while writhing in pain.
After being down for a while and being tended to by trainers, Waters got up and jogged down the tunnel unaided, but with a slight limp. During half time, the warriors announced that he was out for the rest of the game with what was diagnosed as left knee hyperextension.
Brandin Podziemski started the second half in place of Waters.
Game Of The Game
Scratch that. Play of the year? From a purely outstanding standpoint, it has to be.
Heart and turmoil with eyes in the back of his head. Podziemski showed all three in a play that seemed too good to be true. Words don’t do it justice. Watch and do your best to keep your jaw from hitting the floor.
What started with Jonathan Kuminga spiking away a Grizzlies pass attempt ended with him throwing down a dunk on the run for two points. In the middle was one of the most impressive passes of anyone in the entire NBA. Not only did Podziemski run into the front row of fans to keep the play alive, he used his non-dominant right hand to whip a pass behind his back, somehow delivering it in stride for Kuminga, who grabbed the ball off one bounce and quickly. jumped to dunk over former Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr.
The beginning of the season was less than ideal for Podziemski. That game is also a direct example of the energy he always brings whenever his name is called.
