This should be a fun, physical battle folks!
Well well well, after 11 games the Golden State Warriors are 9-2, good enough for the third best record in all of the NBA. And so far they are 1-0 in the Emirates NBA Cup tournament, the only team in their group with a win. The good vibes are getting stronger for Dub Nation, as a team that on paper didn’t seem very awesome compared to the Hamptons 5 days is gelling together at warp speed.
They’ve also found some swagger, something they’ll need to take on the ornery Memphis Grizzlies tonight in Chase Center.
BREAKING: Memphis Grizzlies’ Ja Morant will be sidelined for at least a week after imaging revealed a posterior hip subluxation, along with multiple associated Grade 1 pelvic muscle strains.
— Courtside Buzz (@CourtsideBuzzX) November 9, 2024
Morant hurt himself after going up for an alley-oop & landing awkwardly.
Get well soon,… pic.twitter.com/OMTa89OMXq
Latest injury report for Golden State lists Kyle Anderson (neck) as probable and De’Anthony Melton (knee) out for tonight.
— TheWarriorsTalk (@TheWarriorsTalk) November 15, 2024
Both teams are dealing with some injuries right now, with Golden State’s bench depth impacted with injuries Kyle Anderson and De’Anthony Melton. But the Grizz have been REALLY suffering from the injuries, particularly with their star hooper Ja Morant out with a pelvic muscle strain.
What jumps out?
— Francis Carlota (@SluggaSports) November 15, 2024
The Memphis Grizzlies are 2nd in net rating without Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, Vince Williams Jr., GG Jackson, and also Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard until the past couple games.
Other teams would’ve crumbled with all of those injuries. But not Memphis. https://t.co/WDaIM4hBUO
The Grizzlies are 5th in net rating despite being 1st in injury games missed, and half of their starting 5 and bench being out.
— Cole (@CREAMYCOLE_) November 14, 2024
If we get even a shred of health, we might be the best team in the league. https://t.co/FuxfGUvr66
This is an interesting test between two teams that have had some heated contests in recent years, with the Grizzlies knocking the Warriors out of the play-in tournament in 2021, and the Warriors eliminating them in 6 games from the Western Conference playoffs in 2022.
For the Grizzlies to have a 7-5 record despite their myriad of injuries is a testament to their team culture. Grit-N-Grind still is in their DNA even after all these years. But Grit-N-Grind has never won a title, while during the Stephen Curry-era we’ve seen four banners raise to the rafters in the Bay Area.
For the Warriors to win this game, they can’t let Memphis’ stingy defense force them out of playing smart, tethered basketball. Turnovers and poor shot selection will give the Grizz all the confidence they need to hang around in this game and steal one in Chase Center.
Teams like the Magic, Rockets, Grizzlies, and Thunder win in the regular season despite injuries/youth because they are well-coached and play very hard to a system on defense.
— frisson ✎ (@0xfrisson) November 14, 2024
