Don’t count out the Grizzlies just yet. Memphis proved the doubters wrong with an exceptional performance in Game 2 to level its second round series against the Golden State Warriors at one game apiece.
Can the Grizzlies sustain their momentum in Game 3? Or will the Warriors reclaim home court advantage this coming Saturday? Read on below as we preview this pivotal showdown and while you’re at it, you can check out our preview of Game 3 between the Atlanta Hawks and the Washington Wizards here.
[sc:NBAArticles ]Golden State Warriors vs. Memphis Grizzlies Game 3 Preview
Series Scores & Schedule
Game 1 — May 3 – Memphis Grizzlies 86 at Golden State Warriors 101
Game 2 — May 5 – Memphis Grizzlies 97 at Golden State Warriors 90
Game 3 — May 9, 8:00 PM ET, Golden State Warriors at Memphis Grizzlies – view all NBA lines
Game 4 — May 11, 9:30 PM ET, Golden State Warriors at Memphis Grizzlies
Game 5 — May 13, Time TBD, Memphis Grizzlies at Golden State Warriors
Game 6* — May 15, Time TBD, Golden State Warriors at Memphis Grizzlies
Game 7* — May 17, Time TBD, Memphis Grizzlies at Golden State Warriors
* if necessary
Betting on the Golden State Warriors
Now that was a shock.
[sc:NBA240banner ]Golden State stumbled to its first home defeat in 22 games, absorbing a seven-point loss to the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 2 of their Western Conference series on Tuesday night. It was their first defeat at home since January 27 when they suffered a 113-111 overtime loss to the Chicago Bulls.
The Warriors can only blame themselves for their stunning Game 2 defeat, their first loss this postseason. The Warriors turned the ball over a whopping 20 times on Tuesday, way above their playoff average of 13.0 errors per game. The Warriors’ starters in particular were careless with the basketball, accounting for 15 of Golden State’s 20 miscues.
For the Warriors to regain control of this series, they need to do a much better job with their perimeter offense. After nailing 46.4% of their three-point attempts in Game 1, the Warriors were sent crashing back to earth in Game 2 with Golden State hitting just 23.1% (6-of-26) of their attempts from beyond the arc.
Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson were off-target the entire night against the Grizzlies, combining for just 3-of-17 shooting from deep in Game 2. The newly-minted MVP finished with 19 points, five rebounds and six assists but only shot 2-of-11 from the three-point area. Thompson, on the other hand, only scored 13 points in 34 minutes of action.
The Warriors are 7-2 SU and 6-3 ATS in their last nine road games.
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Betting on the Memphis Grizzlies
There’s a new superhero in town and his name is Mike Conley.
Wearing a clear mask to protect his swollen face, the Grizzlies guard played the game of his life to lead Memphis to an all-important Game 2 victory. Conley scored 22 points and dished out three assists for the Grizzlies who stole home court advantage away from the top-seeded Warriors.
What makes Conley’s performance so amazing is that it comes just eight days after undergoing surgery to repair a facial fracture. He didn’t look rusty at all in Game 2, going 8 of 12 from the field against the Warriors.
It wasn’t just the Conley show for the Grizzlies, though. Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol imposed their will down low, scoring 20 and 15 points respectively. Courtney Lee was another starter who scored in double-figures for the Grizzlies with 13 markers.
And who could forget the play of their other starter, the unheralded Tony Allen? He took it upon himself to put the clamps on Klay Thompson and that he did masterfully in Game 2. He held Thompson to just 1-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc in Game 2 and made him commit a total of five turnovers.
For the Grizzlies to grab a 2-1 series lead this coming Saturday, they need to play the same kind of defense in Game 3. The Grizzlies held the Warriors to just 41.9% shooting in Game 2, way below their postseason average of 45.3%.
Prior to Tuesday’s contest, the Warriors were averaging a whopping 110.0 points per game this postseason. They were limited by the Grizzlies to just 90 points in Game 2, with Golden State scoring just 39 points in the first half, their second-lowest output this season.
The Grizzlies are 5-0 SU and 4-0-1 ATS in their last five home games.
Writer’s Prediction
Golden State edges past Memphis, 101-98, to take a 2-1 series lead.
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