Memphis Grizzlies vs. Golden State Warriors: Postgame Grades and Analysis
In a game that Klay Thompson just about ended in the second quarter, the Golden State Warriors beat the Memphis Grizzlies, 111-107 on Monday at Oracle Arena.
Thompson caught fire in that second period, scoring 26 of his 42 points and leading the Warriors to a 22-point halftime lead. NBA.com shared Thompson's stats:
The Grizzlies, meanwhile, were led by rookie reserve Jordan Adams, who scored 19 points on 6-of-15 shooting after starters were pulled for both teams.
He spearheaded an effort that made the score look much more respectable than the 27-point deficit Memphis faced after three quarters.
| Stephen Curry | A |
| Klay Thompson | A+ |
| Draymond Green | B+ |
| Andrew Bogut | B+ |
| Rest of Team | F |
| Marc Gasol | D |
| Zach Randolph | D |
| Jeff Green | F |
| Courtney Lee | D- |
| Beno Udrih | D- |
| Rest of Team | A+ |
Golden State Warriors
Stephen Curry really didn't have to do much but sit back and enjoy the fireworks set off by Thompson. And yet, he still managed to have a pretty solid impact on the game.
Since he didn't need to take over at any point, Curry let the game come to him, scoring 15 points on 6-of-10 shooting in 29 minutes.
He also did a good job of facilitating, finishing with a game-high eight assists.
Bay Area News Group's Marcus Thompson noted the spotlight was on Thompson:
There really is nothing quite like Klay Thompson going supernova. He conjured images of his 37-point quarter against the Sacramento Kings with another shooting display that captivated the NBA world. Ricky Rubio and Kendall Marshall were impressed:
"video game Klay
— Kendall Marshall (@KButter5) April 14, 2015"
This is the kind of explosion that Thompson can unleash at any moment. And with the playoffs right around the corner, it could be a preview of what's to come.
At some point in the postseason, Thompson's going to go off. Maybe not for 37 or 26 points in a quarter but he'll have a hot streak that completely changes the direction of a game.
Draymond Green: B+
Like Curry, Draymond Green really didn't need to do much on the offensive end. That showed in the box score, as he finished with just five points on 2-of-4 shooting.
But on the other side of the floor, Green was his typically disruptive, destructive self as he helped hold Zach Randolph to 3-of-7 shooting.
He also did a great job on the boards against Memphis's huge frontcourt, grabbing a game-high nine rebounds.
Andrew Bogut: B+
As the anchor of Golden State's defense, Andrew Bogut was solid once again. He essentially played middle linebacker from under the rim, protecting the paint and communicating with his teammates as they switched matchups 1-through-4.
He grabbed seven rebounds, scored six points, dished out three assists and blocked one shot.
Rest of Team: F
Harrison Barnes and Golden State's reserves were entrusted with a 27-point lead that they very nearly coughed up. At one point, the backup Grizzlies had managed to cut the deficit all the way down to four in the waning minutes.
Barnes finished the game with two points on just 1-of-6 shooting. No reserve managed to hit double figures, despite having the entire fourth quarter to themselves.
Leandro Barbosa and Festus Ezeli came closest, scoring nine points each.
Memphis Grizzlies
Marc Gasol: D
Memphis was effectively knocked out of this game in the second quarter, leading to very limited minutes for each starter, including Marc Gasol.
In his 21 minutes, Gasol had just six points on 3-of-7 shooting. Had he been able to play longer, there's no reason to believe he'd find much better rhythm. The size and physical defense of Bogut clearly bothered him.
Zach Randolph: D
Z-Bo played just 21 minutes as well and struggled with the much smaller Green. He finished with just 10 points and five rebounds.
The big, physical frontcourt of Randolph and Gasol is supposed to be the potential Achilles' heel for the Warriors' small-ball style, but it offered no resistance here.
Jeff Green: F
Jeff Green was almost nonexistent, if not for the fact that he was barely noticeable in a negative way.
He was a team-worst minus-31 and finished the game with four points on 2-of-6 shooting. He couldn't produce much outside of the scoring line either, grabbing just one rebound and handing out one assist in 22 minutes.
Courtney Lee: D-
You have to pity anyone who happens to be matched up with Thompson on one of these nights. And while Courtney Lee wasn't entirely to blame for the outburst, he definitely had to absorb a few of the blows.
On the other end, Lee wasn't able to come anywhere near offsetting what Thompson did, but he did manage nine points on 4-of-10 shooting.
Beno Udrih: D-
With Mike Conley out, Beno Udrih got another start for the Grizzlies. His reward? A better-than-front-row seat to Curry and Thompson's shooting barrage.
Udrih was predictably outgunned, as he finished with seven points on 3-of-12 shooting.
Rest of Team: A+
Memphis closed the game with its seventh through 12th men on the bench, and they were clearly undaunted by the huge deficit they faced.
Adams, Russ Smith, Jon Leuer, Jarnell Stokes and JaMychal Green played the bulk of the fourth, a quarter in which the Grizzlies outscored the Warriors 41-18. Chris Vernon of 92.9 FM ESPN noted how well the Grizzlies were playing:
Smith had 16 points on 5-of-8 shooting and dished out four assists. Green also reached double figures, scoring 10 on 4-of-5 from the field. ESPN's Ethan Strauss provided a Randolph-Smith comparison:
Coming Up Next
Memphis will close out its regular season at home on Wednesday, against the Indiana Pacers at 9:30 p.m. ET. It will be a battle between two of the only grind-it-out teams left in the NBA.
Golden State, meanwhile, will finish up at home against the Denver Nuggets, Wednesday at 10:30 p.m. ET. With nothing left to prove, it will be interesting to see how many minutes the Warriors' starters play.
Andy Bailey covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him @AndrewDBailey.
