The Golden State Warriors’ season record dropped to 18-22 on Monday night following their 116-107 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Grizzlies entered the day with the sixth-worst record in the NBA and were missing a laundry list of key players. However, despite having injuries to Marcus Smart, Derrick Rose, Brandon Clarke, Steven Adams, Ja Morant, and Desmond Bane, even that struggling Memphis club managed to win against the Dubs.
The Grizzlies bench had a great shooting night, and the Warriors might be inclined to blame it for their downfall. At the end of the game, Memphis’ bench scored 57 points by going 18 for 34 from the field and 11 for 20 from three. With just 9 field goals made, GG Jackson easily stood out among the group. He also added 6 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks, and a game-high +23 plus/minus.
That would only tell part of the story, though. Yes, the Grizzlies made 20 three-pointers, but a terrible shooting performance from their starting lineup offset the offensive effectiveness of their bench. The only regular core player for the Grizzlies who was available, Jaren Jackson Jr., shot a pitiful 4-for-20 from the floor (3-for-14 from three).
Due to a significant disparity in free-throw attempts, Golden State’s performance was less outstanding from behind the arc, making the difference even more difficult to overcome. Throughout the game, the Grizzlies made 40 trips to the line, four times as many as the Dubs.
The three most important offensive players for the Warriors were Jonathan Kuminga, Andrew Wiggins, and Steph Curry. Curry finished with a game-high 26 points, four rebounds, and eight assists. Wiggins finished with 16 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals, and a Warriors-best plus/minus of +9. In 29 minutes of play off the bench, Kuminga grabbed 11 rebounds and scored 20 points.
Draymond Green played little over 23 minutes in his first game back from a ban and finished with 7 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and a steal. He was also one of only three Dubs with a positive plus/minus at the end of the game.
