SAN FRANCISCO — With the Western Conference seventh seed hanging in the balance, the Warriors and Grizzlies battled it out in dramatic fashion Tuesday night.
The Warriors emerged victorious, 121-116, sending the Grizzlies to a win-or-go-home battle against the winner of Wednesday’s Dallas Mavericks-Sacramento Kings matchup, while Golden State will face the No. 2 seed Houston Rockets.
Here are some key takeaways from the play-in at the Chase Center:
The return of Playoff Jimmy
The Chase Center crowd got their first taste of Playoff Jimmy. From the opening possession, Butler was in attack mode, relentlessly hunting mismatches against Memphis’ oversized lineup of Zach Edey, Santi Aldama and Jaren Jackson Jr. With each Grizzlies big man struggling to stick with Butler in isolation, he masterfully carved his way through Memphis’ defense at every opportunity.
By halftime, Butler had already racked up 21 points on efficient 7-of-12 shooting from the field, punctuated by a pair of threes and numerous strong drives that drew fouls, sending him to the line eight times while converting five. Add in four rebounds, four assists and a timely pickpocket steal, and it was clear Butler wasn’t just facilitating energy for the Warriors, he was defining their identity in the game. His aggression set the tone for Golden State and provided a steadying presence that willed the Warriors through a few third- and fourth-quarter runs.
Butler finished with 38 points (12-20 FG, 12-18 FT, 2-4 3PT) with seven boards, six dimes and three steals across 40 minutes. Butler didn’t just dominate the stat sheet; he dictated the tempo and looked comfortable embodying the Robin role in Golden State.
Stephen Curry is too clutch
The MVP chants echoed through the rafters of Chase Center, a sound Stephen Curry knows all too well. On a night the Warriors couldn’t afford to stumble, Curry once again reminded everyone why he’s the heart and soul of this franchise. Despite nursing a nagging thumb injury, the two-time MVP delivered one of his signature performances, pouring in 37 points (9-of-22 FG, 13-of-13 FT, 6-of-13 3PT), including 13 in the fourth quarter (60% of the Dubs’ points in the stanza) to slam the door on Memphis.
With Golden State clinging to a slim lead, Curry hit two massive 3s, both within the final two minutes, sending the Chase Center crowd into a frenzy.
Curry sealed the game with a couple of clutch free throws with five seconds left to send the Grizzlies packing. He and Jimmy Butler combined for 60-plus points for the second time in less than a week, carrying the Dubs to the first round of the playoffs.
Kuminga rides the pine, again
Another game, another DNP for Jonathan Kuminga. The fourth-year pro found himself glued to the bench for the third straight contest, as Steve Kerr opted for a 10-man rotation that featured reserves Gary Payton II, Buddy Hield, Quinten Post, Kevon Looney and Gui Santos. No Kuminga. Not even a glance.
It’s becoming increasingly clear, while Kuminga’s potential is undeniable, his services aren’t part of the Warriors’ plans right now. And barring injuries to other role players, that doesn’t seem likely to change anytime soon.
The Warriors’ role players stepped up, with Moses Moody defending Ja Morant for a team-high eight minutes, holding him to two points on 1-of-3 shooting from the field. Post was tied with Draymond Green in plus-minus at 12, while also joining Payton as the only other Warriors to hit double-figures in scoring outside of Butler and Curry. Payton also hit two momentum-swinging 3s along with his timely hustle plays. So yeah, I see why JK isn’t getting any burn.
But with that said, Green said in his post-game news conference Kuminga needs to stay mentally prepared and he has no doubt that he’ll play a role in the Houston series.
The Grizzlies are in … trouble?
How do you get a five-second call with the game on the line? That’s amateur hour for Memphis — a team whose core unit has been through plenty of late-game situations, in playoff settings, only to crumble in the waning moments Tuesday.
These are the situations where coaching, communication and execution are critical, and after firing head coach Taylor Jenkins in late March, Santi Aldama failing to get the ball in with five seconds remaining in the game and the Grizzlies down three makes that decision look even worse.
Ja Morant disappears after third-quarter ankle injury
Morant carried the Grizzlies in the first half, but he wasn’t nearly as impactful after rolling his ankle in the third quarter. Over the next 17 minutes, Morant contributed seven points (3-5 FG, 1-1 3PT) with one rebound, two assists and two turnovers. Perhaps the ankle injury caused him to be passive, a trait the Grizzlies can ill afford at this point in the season.
The silver lining is Desmond Bane was more than ready to pick up the slack, especially in the second half, when he scored 19 of his 30 points. The Grizzlies continue to utilize him more as a playmaker, leading the team in total passes (60) and helping to facilitate some offense through Jaren Jackson Jr. and Morant.
Zach Edey, defensively, is food
If you look at the box score, you’d say it was a productive night for Zach Edey, who had 14 points with a gaudy 17 rebounds. However, the Warriors feasted on the rookie anytime they got the switch or the former Purdue star was left in an iso situation away from the basket.
According to NBA Advanced Stats, the Warriors took 18 shot attempts when defended by Edey, the most against a Grizzlies player. Memphis needs Edey’s offensive rebounding and rim protection, but anytime he drifts from the hoop, it’s a problem. Let’s see if the Grizzlies adjust with their backs against the wall and on the brink of elimination.
SAN FRANCISCO — With the Western Conference seventh seed hanging in the balance, the Warriors and Grizzlies battled it out in dramatic fashion Tuesday night.
The Warriors emerged victorious, 121-116, sending the Grizzlies to a win-or-go-home battle against the winner of Wednesday’s Dallas Mavericks-Sacramento Kings matchup, while Golden State will face the No. 2 seed Houston Rockets.
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Here are some key takeaways from the play-in at the Chase Center:
The Chase Center crowd got their first taste of Playoff Jimmy. From the opening possession, Butler was in attack mode, relentlessly hunting mismatches against Memphis’ oversized lineup of Zach Edey, Santi Aldama and Jaren Jackson Jr. With each Grizzlies big man struggling to stick with Butler in isolation, he masterfully carved his way through Memphis’ defense at every opportunity.
By halftime, Butler had already racked up 21 points on efficient 7-of-12 shooting from the field, punctuated by a pair of threes and numerous strong drives that drew fouls, sending him to the line eight times while converting five. Add in four rebounds, four assists and a timely pickpocket steal, and it was clear Butler wasn’t just facilitating energy for the Warriors, he was defining their identity in the game. His aggression set the tone for Golden State and provided a steadying presence that willed the Warriors through a few third- and fourth-quarter runs.
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Butler finished with 38 points (12-20 FG, 12-18 FT, 2-4 3PT) with seven boards, six dimes and three steals across 40 minutes. Butler didn’t just dominate the stat sheet; he dictated the tempo and looked comfortable embodying the Robin role in Golden State.
The MVP chants echoed through the rafters of Chase Center, a sound Stephen Curry knows all too well. On a night the Warriors couldn’t afford to stumble, Curry once again reminded everyone why he’s the heart and soul of this franchise. Despite nursing a nagging thumb injury, the two-time MVP delivered one of his signature performances, pouring in 37 points (9-of-22 FG, 13-of-13 FT, 6-of-13 3PT), including 13 in the fourth quarter (60% of the Dubs’ points in the stanza) to slam the door on Memphis.
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With Golden State clinging to a slim lead, Curry hit two massive 3s, both within the final two minutes, sending the Chase Center crowd into a frenzy.
Curry sealed the game with a couple of clutch free throws with five seconds left to send the Grizzlies packing. He and Jimmy Butler combined for 60-plus points for the second time in less than a week, carrying the Dubs to the first round of the playoffs.
Another game, another DNP for Jonathan Kuminga. The fourth-year pro found himself glued to the bench for the third straight contest, as Steve Kerr opted for a 10-man rotation that featured reserves Gary Payton II, Buddy Hield, Quinten Post, Kevon Looney and Gui Santos. No Kuminga. Not even a glance.
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It’s becoming increasingly clear, while Kuminga’s potential is undeniable, his services aren’t part of the Warriors’ plans right now. And barring injuries to other role players, that doesn’t seem likely to change anytime soon.
The Warriors’ role players stepped up, with Moses Moody defending Ja Morant for a team-high eight minutes, holding him to two points on 1-of-3 shooting from the field. Post was tied with Draymond Green in plus-minus at 12, while also joining Payton as the only other Warriors to hit double-figures in scoring outside of Butler and Curry. Payton also hit two momentum-swinging 3s along with his timely hustle plays. So yeah, I see why JK isn’t getting any burn.
But with that said, Green said in his post-game news conference Kuminga needs to stay mentally prepared and he has no doubt that he’ll play a role in the Houston series.
How do you get a five-second call with the game on the line? That’s amateur hour for Memphis — a team whose core unit has been through plenty of late-game situations, in playoff settings, only to crumble in the waning moments Tuesday.
Advertisement
These are the situations where coaching, communication and execution are critical, and after firing head coach Taylor Jenkins in late March, Santi Aldama failing to get the ball in with five seconds remaining in the game and the Grizzlies down three makes that decision look even worse.
Morant carried the Grizzlies in the first half, but he wasn’t nearly as impactful after rolling his ankle in the third quarter. Over the next 17 minutes, Morant contributed seven points (3-5 FG, 1-1 3PT) with one rebound, two assists and two turnovers. Perhaps the ankle injury caused him to be passive, a trait the Grizzlies can ill afford at this point in the season.
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The silver lining is Desmond Bane was more than ready to pick up the slack, especially in the second half, when he scored 19 of his 30 points. The Grizzlies continue to utilize him more as a playmaker, leading the team in total passes (60) and helping to facilitate some offense through Jaren Jackson Jr. and Morant.
If you look at the box score, you’d say it was a productive night for Zach Edey, who had 14 points with a gaudy 17 rebounds. However, the Warriors feasted on the rookie anytime they got the switch or the former Purdue star was left in an iso situation away from the basket.
According to NBA Advanced Stats, the Warriors took 18 shot attempts when defended by Edey, the most against a Grizzlies plater. Memphis needs Edey’s offensive rebounding and rim protection, but anytime he drifts from the hoop, it’s a problem. Let’s see if the Grizzlies adjust with their backs against the wall and on the brink of elimination.
