The Memphis Grizzlies started off on fire in Game 3 of their series against the Golden State Warriors. Their first 18 points all came off three-pointers, and they quickly raced to a 21-8 lead that had fans at the Chase Center suddenly silent.
The lead didn’t last very long, though, as the Warriors had their own run in them which cut the lead to 28-26 at the end of the first quarter. By the end of the first half, Golden State had completed a 20-point turnaround with a 64-57 lead. The Warriors then put the game away in the third quarter after outscoring the Grizzlies 37-23 to take 101-80 lead into the fourth quarter before eventually winning 142-112.
So many things went right for the Warriors in the impressive victory. What they probably wanted to see most was for Klay Thompson to shake off his bad shooting in the first two games, and he obliged them with 21 points, nine rebounds and four assists while shooting 8 of 13 from the field. He even made a damn one-legged three for good measure.
Steph Curry had a little bit of trouble with his three-pointers, only making 2 of 8, but he more than made up for it by being more aggressive, attacking the basket, and getting himself free throws. He had 30 points, two rebounds and six assists and led the Warriors in scoring.
The third splash brother, Jordan Poole, had another excellent game off the bench as well with 27 points, four rebounds and two assists while shooting a red-hot 11 of 17 from the field.
If that wasn’t enough, the Warriors also benefited from a more aggressive Andrew Wiggins, who was especially important in the first half runs that brought the game under their control. He was also hyper-efficient, shooting 7 of 10 overall and finishing with 17 points, three rebounds and two steals.
Otto Porter Jr. got in on the action as well as he had 13 points, four rebounds, three assists, two blocks and a steal while hitting 5 of 7 shots.
With everything going the Warriors way, there was simply nothing the Grizzlies could do. Ja Morant never gave up on the game and had the kind of excellent performance that we’ve come to expect with 34 points, three rebounds, seven assists and three steals. He unfortunately looked to have hurt himself midway through the fourth quarter as he went to the locker room limping. He looked visibly frustrated with the pain, which is a worrying sign for Grizzlies fans.
The double-whammy of a blowout loss plus a Morant injury could change the complexion of series. As a basketball fan, I hope Morant is okay, because it just isn’t going to be fun without him.
