Warriors vs. Grizzlies: Offense vs. Defense
The Golden State Warriors and Memphis Grizzlies are ready to do battle in the NBA’s Western Conference semifinals, giving us one of the best matchups we’ve had in recent seasons.
Golden State boasts the best record in the NBA and is coming off an easy sweep of the eighth-seeded New Orleans Pelicans. Meanwhile, the Grizzlies took care of the injured Portland Trail Blazers in five games, giving themselves the appropriate time to rest up for the Splash Bros.
What makes this series so interesting is the contrast in styles. The Warriors want to play an up-tempo game that involves scoring well above 100 points, sometimes before the third quarter is over. Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry are the main guns on Golden State, and perhaps two of the best 10 players in the league. Curry is the likely league-MVP, averaging 23.8 points and 7.7 assists per game in the regular season. Thompson is no slouch in his own right, scoring 21.7 points and compiling a 20.9 PER rating.
Memphis will be shorthanded in dealing with the dynamic guard duo, with point guard Mike Conley Jr. doubtful for Game 1. Conley Jr. sustained a concussion in the first-round clash against Portland and has not fully recovered. Without Conley Jr., the Grizzlies need to rely on Nick Calathes and Courtney Lee to hold down the fort and eat quality minutes.
For Memphis, winning against the Warriors is about slowing the game down and making it an interior struggle. Despite having Andrew Bogut and David Lee, the Warriors don’t have the ability to match up inside with the combination of Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol.
Gasol and Randolph give Memphis the best 1-2 punch in the league on the block. Gasol, a former NBA Defensive Player of the Year, is also adapt on the offensive end. In the 2014-15 season, Gasol averaged 17.4 points and 7.8 rebounds per night. Next to him, Randolph notched 16.1 points and 10.5 rebounds.
Prediction: Golden State in 7
The Warriors have a deeper team and will ultimately be able to hold on with a tremendous home-court advantage. At the ORACLE Arena, Golden State is an outrageous 39-2 and has only lost once in its building since falling in the early going to the San Antonio Spurs.
Memphis is a terrific team, but doesn’t have the firepower to keep up with the Warriors. In the end, Memphis will need Curry and Thompson to miss some shots while getting Bogut and Draymond Green into foul trouble.
Is it possible for Memphis to win the series? Absolutely. However, the smart money is on Golden State to advance into the Western Conference finals for the first time in the Curry/Thompson era.
Something tells me this won’t be the last time we see that duo going deep into the playoffs.
