5 Critical Takeaways from Golden State Warriors Showdown with Memphis Grizzlies
The Golden State Warriors have had a pleasant season thus far, aside from Stephen Curry's injury scares. The addition of Andre Iguodala is paying dividends, while supporting players like Klay Thompson and Harrison Barnes have only gotten better.
The Warriors are playing well so far but had a disappointing loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on November 20. Per ESPN.com, coach Mark Jackson addressed the absence of Curry: "Obviously, [Curry] is a big-time player and not having him hurt us. They outplayed us tonight. We battled, we defended, we executed and we fell short."
While it was unfortunate to not have the point guard ready for action, it still gave other Warriors players the chance to shine. Let's take a look at some critical takeaways from the game.
The Warriors Need More from the Bench
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Golden State lost a major piece to their success last season, as sixth man Jarrett Jack signed a four-year deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers. While the Warriors ultimately renounced their rights to Jack in order to sign Andre Iguodala, it's had repercussions for the team thus far.
According to HoopsStats.com, the Warriors rank No. 24 in terms of bench scoring with 25.5 points per game. That's slightly down from last season's 30.6 points, which gave Golden State a top-20 rank for reserve production.
This lack of help was evident in the Warriors' loss to the Grizzlies, as the bench provided just seven points. Curry was out with concussion symptoms, thus giving Barnes the chance to start and weakening what strength Golden State's bench has.
Yet even if Curry had played, the Warriors cannot rely on Barnes to bring help as a reserve solo. The team needs more from the likes of Marreese Speights and Draymond Green.
Speights put up 10.2 points and 5.1 rebounds in 18.5 minutes per game for the Cavaliers last season, coming off the bench in 38 of the 39 games he played after being dealt by Memphis. Golden State needs him to produce at a similar level (4.3 points and 3.8 rebounds thus far) to have consistency, in addition to filling the gap Carl Landry left after departing to the Sacramento Kings.
In any case, the Warriors absolutely need more help from their reserves. They're a top team in the Western Conference, but it isn't a sure thing unless there's an overall level of competitiveness.
Andre Iguodala Is Integral to Golden State's Success
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The Warriors knew what they were getting when they signed Andre Iguodala. His versatility has been well-documented, which was on full display against the Grizzlies.
Iggy had 14 assists with just four turnovers against Memphis, running Golden State's offense in Stephen Curry's absence. He managed just seven points on 3-of-14 shooting, but that was uncharacteristic given his 55.7 percent shooting on the season.
The small forward will be a huge impact player for the Warriors this season, showcasing the sort of effect he will have against the Grizzlies.
Klay Thompson Is the Real Deal
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Klay Thompson has developed into a scorer this season. While he struggled slightly against the Grizzlies, Thompson was still able to keep the Warriors in the race before falling short.
Three-point shooting is far and away Thompson's greatest skill, but he went just 2-of-7 on long-range shots versus Memphis. Despite this, he still managed to score 21 points albeit on 19 field-goal attempts. Thompson remains a little one-dimensional offensively, given his 1.5 assists per game (zero assists against the Grizzlies) but is doing well for Golden State in terms of putting the ball in the basket.
He showed he can be relied upon to score, regardless of who is healthy. It's a luxury the Warriors absolutely needed and will continue to look for down the stretch. Curry's health isn't a sure thing, to look at it as a pessimist, so anyone stepping up will be welcomed with open arms by Golden State.
Mark Jackson said it best when he called Thompson "a top-five (shooting) guard in this league," courtesy of the San Jose Mercury News' Marcus Thompson. The top 2-guards in the NBA are renowned in Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade and James Harden.
It might be somewhat untimely, but Thompson can absolutely rank with the best of them. He certainly showed it against Memphis.
Golden State Is Playing Defense?
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With no disrespect to the Warriors, Golden State has never truly had a focused approach on defense. In the last 10 years, the Warriors have ranked as one of the bottom-10 defensive teams eight times. They've been a top-10 defensive team thus far and clamped down on Memphis despite the loss.
Golden State held the Grizzlies to just 88 points, which would have dropped to 75 points had the game not gone to overtime. Memphis also shot a poor 38.6 percent from the field, knocking down just 25 percent of their three-point attempts.
The Warriors forced only six turnovers, but that comes from the excellent offensive game plan of the Grizzlies. They're ranked No. 8 in terms of not committing turnovers, so it's a testament to their system more than it is a problem with Golden State.
They regularly force 16.1 turnovers per game (just shy of the top 10 in that ranking), so it's no cause for concern. It is refreshing to see the Warriors as a defensive team, an area both Andre Iguodala and Andrew Bogut were brought to Golden State to help with.
ESPN.com's Ethan Sherwood Strauss hit the nail on the head when breaking down the Warriors' defense: "Building a bad defense that involves Bogut and Iguodala would probably take more effort than building a good one." It's evidently paying off for Golden State thus far, and hopefully it becomes the norm for the Warriors.
Harrison Barnes Is a Star in the Making
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As good an addition as Andre Iguodala was, it was almost a shame considering it meant demoting Harrison Barnes. The forward had a solid rookie season last year (9.2 points, 4.1 rebounds) and is producing similarly this season as a reserve. It is obvious, despite his role, that Barnes is a future star.
With a lineup that lacked scoring, Barnes put up 16 points versus the Grizzlies. He shot 6-of-14, 2-of-3 from long range, and helped out with eight rebounds and five assists. Barnes committed just two turnovers in 49 minutes of play, demonstrating his keen awareness with the ball.
It might be premature to label Barnes a future star, but he's still just 21 years old. He still has a long career ahead of him, so anything can happen. But play like what was showcased against Memphis is just a glimpse into what sort of player he can become.
Whether it's as a starter or a sixth man, Barnes is a special prospect for the Warriors who has plenty of potential.
