The Golden State Warriors face a “moment of truth” tonight in Game 4 against the Memphis Grizzlies. Here’s Part 2 of 3 adjustments that need to happen:
- Bench Unit Needs To Outplay Grizzlies Second Unit On Both Ends
- Double-Teaming Zach Randolph And Collapsing On Marc Gasol
- Stephen Curry’s Return To MVP Form Must Start With Limiting Turnovers
Double-Teaming Zach Randolph And Collapsing On Marc Gasol
The Warriors will need to solve the problem of the formidable frontline of Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph (aka “Z-Bo”).
While the bench unit was responsible for starting the avalanche that turned a 17-15 lead at the end of the first quarter into a 38-24 deficit midway through the second, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr actually subbed out various players soon after their mistakes. After Harrison Barnes mishandled an entry pass from Andre Iguodala and Marreese Speights rushed a shot in the paint against Kosta Koufos, Draymond Green and Andrew Bogut came back in.
That didn’t stop Gasol, who scored 12 points in that pivotal second quarter. As we reported in the 1st half recap:
Gasol and Randolph continued their dominance inside, however, as Gasol drew a foul on Bogut on a spin down low, and Conley drilled a trey as Gasol made a strong dribble from the top right into Draymond.
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…the Grizzlies continued to have success going down low as Draymond fouled Gasol on the deep entry catch, and Iguodala did the same versus Randolph.
In the third quarter, Randolph took over, schooling Festus Ezeli after Bogut, who must stay out of foul trouble especially with the silly hacks, picked up his fourth personal foul:
Allen lost the ball shortly thereafter and Curry crossed over on the top impressively, but the open trey back-rimmed yet again, and Bogut slapped Gasol on the rather distant and hapless help, and picked up his fourth personal. In came Festus Ezeli.
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Zach Randolph then took control, dominating the young Festus. He turned and faced Ezeli at every opportunity on the right block, getting a jumper to fall, drilling a toss nearly from the hip and from about twenty feet with the shotclock buzzing, and twice blowing past Ezeli on the right baseline, the first time getting fouled by Harrison Barnes on the help and the second one a nifty reverse layup to give the Grizzlies a 78-60 lead with under a minute to play.
The Grizzlies have done a good job of taking something major away from the Warriors: jumping out on the pick-and-roll with Stephen Curry and bothering his passing angles with outstretched arms. The Warriors have yet to take something major away from Grizzlies.
While double-teaming Gasol outside of the paint would not be warranted due to his excellent passing ability, Golden State must collapse on Gasol anytime he is in the block. And with Randolph’s isolation plays, the Warriors must send another player to show help and take the ball out of Z-Bo’s hands and force another Memphis player not named Gasol or Randolph to beat them.
Klay Thompson guarded point guard table-setter Mike Conley in Game 2, but it may make more sense to keep the smaller Curry on Conley in Game 4, put Thompson and Harrison Barnes interchangeably on the fourth and fifth Memphis offensive options, shooting guard Courtney Lee and defensive specialist Tony Allen.
This allows a bigger player other than Curry to do the doubling on the Memphis all-star big men.
While Allen has been able to sneak to the rim from the weakside and Lee has drilled big threes, the Warriors have no choice but to pick their poison and they cannot afford to have Gasol and/or Randolph “anchor” any of the four quarters.
Golden State was actually successful at doing this with a small lineup to close out Game 3.
With the Warriors now showing a late double from the weakside from Curry, the Golden State defense showed a bit of the vise grip even against the taller Grizzlies. Carter made another errant pass that Draymond stole and got fouled.
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Klay slapped the ball away from Gasol down low and Gasol shoved Draymond for two more free throws, and Thompson deflected a pass by Conley. Klay fell down on his back after crossing halfcourt, no traveling was called, and Curry ended up getting fouled on the left side, but Draymond was called for a lane violation on the second free throw with the score 88-82.
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Green made up for it by tapping the ball out as Randolph tried an entry pass down low, and Barnes soared in for the finger roll, assisted by Iguodala, and Golden State had, incredibly, cut the lead to just four, 88-84, with 3:07 to go.
The other thing to consider with letting Lee be the hero is, throughout the majority of Game 3, the Grizzlies milked Gasol and then Randolph. By the time it came down to Lee to drill the clutch three-pointer, it was only his 9th shot of the night and 4th three-point attempt. The idea is to make Lee more of a volume shooter, something he’s not accustomed to doing nor sustaining, so that the law of averages come more into play during clutch close-out time.
(Photo: @letsgowarriors Instagram account via NBAE/Getty)
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