Memphis Grizzlies Erases Golden State Warriors in NBA Playoff Picture, Ja Morant Erupts With 35 Points
The Memphis Grizzlies knocked out the Golden State Warriors and its star player Steph Curry in the Western Conference Playoff Picture after Ja Morant erupted with 35 points to lead his team back in the postseason with an overtime win 117-112 on Friday night at Chase Center.
Despite playing for 45+ minutes, Curry, Andrew Wiggins, and Draymond Green were not able to secure the final spot in the playoffs after the young core of the Memphis Grizzlies outperformed them in the overtime period.
According to NBA.com, Memphis Grizzlies' rising star Ja Morant led the charge to silence Steph Curry and the Warriors in the overtime classic.
Ja Morant delivered a career-high five triples, enabled his young team to deliver a shocking win against Steph Curry-led squad. The Grizzlies' defense did not only stunned the players but also Warriors' fans watching in the arena.
The 21-year-old Grizzly exploded with 35 points, six assists, and six rebounds and took over since the start of the knock-out game. Aside from Morant, five of his teammates recorded double figures in scoring to push their campaign in the playoffs. Three of them came off the bench.
Steph Curry finished the game with 39 points, four rebounds, and two assists. But it was not enough to put his team in the playoff picture.
Sports analysts said before the game that Curry needs to deliver 40+ points in order for his team to cross to the playoffs, NBC Sports reported.
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The performance of Curry was impressive in terms of scoring, but he was limited in other aspects of the game as he was hounded by the lockdown defense of another grizzly guard Dillon Brooks all night long.
In addition, during their two games in the Play-in Tournament, the Warriors recorded a total of 38 turnovers. The statistics became worse for the Warriors because the errors came from their veterans Draymond Green and Curry, who tallied 25 turnovers in just two outings.
In terms of defensive stats, the Warriors were ahead against the Grizzlies. But they have turned the ball 21 times in the game, which led to multiple possessions for the Grizzlies. Ja Morant's team only had 13 turnovers throughout the game, Inside Sport reported.
The Warriors showed the heart of a champion during the final minutes as they managed to climb back to the game despite being down by 10 in the fourth. They even managed to have the final shot in the fourth, but Green was not able to sink the teardrop in.
Memphis Grizzlies to Face Utah Jazz in First Round
After their win in their classic match against the Warriors, Memphis Grizzlies will be facing the top-seeded team in the Western Conference, the Utah Jazz.
The Memphis Grizzlies are considered as the underdog in the first round meeting. But because of the ankle sprain of Donovan Mitchell and Mike Conley still being bugged by that dreaded hamstring, there are still questions about the outcome of the matchup.
Both Mitchell and Conley are expected to be ready for Game 1 of the first-round meeting, but their injuries could impact the whole series, DraftKings Nation reported.
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WATCH: GRIZZLIES at WARRIORS | FULL GAME HIGHLIGHTS | May 21, 2021 - From NBA
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