The Golden State Warriors Versus the Memphis Grizzlies: Matchups & Storylines
Memphis completed yet another double-digit point comeback against Minnesota, giving them a matchup against the three seed Golden State Warriors with Game One on Sunday afternoon. Both teams are led by star guards, as Ja Morant rose to stardom this year while Stephen Curry continues to rain it down from three.
Both teams, however, are where they are due to some great depth. For Memphis, they’ve seen the rise of Brandon Clarke during these playoffs and have enjoyed seeing second-year guard Desmond Bane become one of the league’s rising stars. For Golden State, they’ve seen the emergence of Jordan Poole, who saw multiple 20-plus point game performances versus Denver.
In addition, the return of Klay Thompson has provided even more perimeter scoring to the Warriors. With Golden State being favored heading into Game One, both teams are on level ground and surely will deliver a series that is competitive throughout. In terms of winning this series, these teams need to see the best from their stars and role players. However, both teams should look at these major keys to win the series.
Golden State: Get Jaren Jackson Jr. In Foul Trouble and Force Morant Into Jump Shots
Golden State is not facing a team like the Nuggets from the last round, where they could zero in on Nikola Jokic and force the role players to win the game for them. Instead, they are facing a team with multiple players that can create and score buckets. The Warriors will have their hands full with Desmond Bane and Ja Morant, so they need to make sure offensively they can make it easier for themselves.
Therefore, they should look to get Jaren Jackson Jr. into foul trouble by taking the ball into the lane, when possible, since he anchors that defense down low. It will also take some shooting off the floor for Memphis, as Jackson Jr.’s two-way abilities are a major key to the success of Memphis this season.
Defensively, the defense of the Warriors needs to force Morant to beat them by shooting the ball from beyond 15 feet from the rim. Morant was not efficient in their series against the Timberwolves, shooting just 20% from three.
Morant is extremely talented getting to the basket, therefore it is crucial for Golden State to make him play a different game. Last thing the Warriors need is Draymond in foul trouble and Morant getting to the rim and creating baskets and foul issues for Golden State.
Memphis: Establish Dominance In The Paint and Protect The Perimeter
Telling Memphis to stop Golden State on the perimeter is easier said than done. In their series versus the Nuggets, the four wing stars for the Warriors all shot above 40% from three. That’s the bread and butter for Golden State, and when they are on fire there’s not much you can do to stop them.
With Memphis having the paint presence of Jaren Jackson Jr, Steven Adams and Bradon Clarke, the Grizzlies must force the Warriors to beat them in the paint. On top of forcing Golden State to win the game in the paint, that’s where Memphis should look to win the game early on. With having such a size advantage against Golden State, Memphis should aim to dominate the paint to allow for their shooters to get open looks on the outside. It’s the old inside-out offensive philosophy.
If Golden State collapses with a pass inside, throw it back out for an open look. If they are able to get Draymond in any sort of foul trouble early on, Memphis could run up a lead in a hurry. Beyond that, just getting Memphis guards in a rhythm with open looks could cause Golden State issues.
The first round game takes place at FedExArena at 3:30 p.m. EST on Sunday. ABC will carry the game on television for a national audience.
