3 key matchups that will decide the Golden State Warriors-Memphis Grizzlies playoff series
The Memphis Grizzlies closed the series out 114-106 on Friday after the Minnesota Timberwolves blew another double-digit lead. They will meet the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference semifinals, starting Sunday.
A Timberwolves-Warriors series would've been fairly lopsided, but with the Grizzlies now in the semi-finals, expect a competitive, and gritty matchup. A seven-game series is extremely plausible.
The Grizzlies took the regular-season series 3-1. However, they never faced the trio of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, who are expected to be in the starting lineup tomorrow.
Here are three matchups to look out for in the semi-finals.
1. Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors) vs. Ja Morant (Memphis Grizzlies)
The most anticipated matchup of the series is Stephen Curry vs. Ja Morant. While they both play the same position and are similar in size, they boast vastly different skill sets.
Curry is primarily a perimeter threat, whereas Morant does most of his scoring in the paint. Curry's defense on Morant will be something to watch out for, as the former will be aiming to keep the latter out of the paint.
2. Draymond Green (Golden State Warriors) vs. Jaren Jackson Jr. (Memphis Grizzlies)
Since Draymond Green is a switchable defender, he usually gets the toughest defensive assignment, owing to his astronomical basketball IQ and seven-foot-one wingspan.
Green can even guard Morant because of his quick feet and hefty size advantage. The Grizzlies will likely look to switch Jackson Jr. onto him. At six-foot-11, Jackson Jr. can dominate the paint against the undersized Warriors. His only roadblock will be Draymond Green.
Something Golden State can leverage is foul trouble. Jackson Jr. only played more than 25-minutes twice in the first-round.
3. Andrew Wiggins (Golden State Warriors) vs. Steven Adams (Memphis Grizzlies)
The chink in the armor of the Golden State Warriors is rebounding. Despite the gentleman's sweep, the Warriors were consistently beaten to both offensive and defensive boards by the Nuggets.
As Steve Kerr has often mentioned, Andrew Wiggins' rebounding plays a massive role for the Warriors. With 34 total rebounds, Wiggins led the Warriors in the first round.
Steven Adams is widely regarded as the strongest man in the NBA and led the league in total offensive rebounds (344). He surpassed second-place Mitchell Robinson by a margin of 52 boards.
Out rebounding Adams will be a difficult task, and to do so without fouling seems unimaginable. Andrew Wiggins has his work cut out for him.