Golden State Warriors vs Memphis Grizzlies Prediction and Match Preview - March 19th, 2021 | NBA Season 2020-21
The next stop on the Golden State Warriors' road trip is FedExForum in Tennessee, where they'll take on the Memphis Grizzlies. The Warriors blew away the struggling Houston Rockets in their last outing and are trying to find some consistency in the 2020-21 NBA season.
Meanwhile, the Memphis Grizzlies are coming off a victory as well. They beat the Miami Heat thanks to a Ja Morant bucket with 1.2 seconds left and bested Jimmy Butler's 24-point effort and Bam Adebayo's double-double.
Match Details
Fixture: Golden State Warriors vs Memphis Grizzlies | NBA Season 2020-21.
Date & Time: Friday, March 19th; 8:00 PM ET (Saturday, March 20th; 5:30 AM IST).
Venue: FedExForum, Memphis, TN
Memphis Grizzlies Preview
The Memphis Grizzlies are eyeing the play-in tournament this season. They haven't been consistent enough to enter the playoff seeds in the tough Western Conference but Ja Morant and Jonas Valanciunas' exploits have them hanging near the 9th and 10th seeds. The Memphis Grizzlies finally have a largely healthy roster with only Jaren Jackson Jr. sidelined.
Memphis Grizzlies center Jonas Valanciunas is one of just 13 players averaging a double-double this season and is also the second-highest scorer on the roster with nearly 16 points per game. Meanwhile, forward Dillon Brooks has been great as well, averaging nearly 16 points a night while also leading the team in steals.
Key Player - Ja Morant
Ja Morant is undoubtedly the Memphis Grizzlies' best player. He is averaging just under 20 points per game and also plays the most minutes on the squad. Although Morant's athleticism and playmaking have been great, his three-point shooting has taken a huge dip. His overall efficiency from the floor has fallen and he also needs to improve his free-throws. Morant is shooting just 76% from the charity stripe, which is below average for an NBA point guard.
Memphis Grizzlies Predicted Lineup
G - Ja Morant, G - Grayson Allen, F - Dillon Brooks, F - Kyle Anderson, C - Jonas Valanciunas.
Golden State Warriors Preview
The Golden State Warriors are fighting for a decent playoff spot this campaign. They are 21-20 for the season and currently sit in the 9th spot in the Western Conference. Lacking any consistency, the Warriors have neither held a reasonable winning streak nor a disastrous losing one.
Although they are coming off a victory, the probable absence of Stephen Curry is concerning. He injured his tailbone in the last outing against the Houston Rockets and was escorted off the floor in the middle of the game.
Curry spoke about his team's situation after the blowout loss against the LA Lakers, saying:
"We got to play better; we have to develop a winning attitude every single night. Honestly, we've got to get sick of just getting blown out..cause that's embarrassing. I think we have to have some pride in how we're playing. You can lose games, that's gonna happen but not like that."
It is no secret that the Golden State Warriors' season is hinging on Stephen Curry's performances and his fitness could make or break their year.
Key Player - Draymond Green
With Stephen Curry listed as questionable for the game, the responsibility of leading the team's will fall on their second-best veteran, Draymond Green.
The former DPOY has been putting on a playmaking exhibition this season. He led the league in total assists in February with 93, ten more than the player in second place (James Harden - 83). Although Green is not known for his scoring, his elite playmaking and defensive prowess can power the rest of the squad through a tough stretch.
He is often labeled a 'swiss army knife' due to his all-around capabilities and he currently leads the team in steals, rebounds and assists.
Golden State Warriors Predicted Lineup
G - Jordan Poole, G - Andrew Wiggins, F - Kent Bazemore, F - Draymond Green, C - Kevon Looney.
Warriors vs Grizzlies Match Prediction
The Golden State Warriors would have been the favorites to win the game but given the sheer number of players sidelined on their roster, the Memphis Grizzlies have a real shot at grabbing a victory.
The Warriors have listed Stephen Curry and Kelly Oubre Jr. as questionable for the game, while rookie James Wiseman and sophomore forward Eric Paschall have been ruled out due to health and safety protocols.
Where to watch the Warriors vs Grizzlies game?
The Golden State Warriors vs Memphis Grizzlies game will have local coverage on NBC Sports Bay Area and FOX Sports Southeast. The match can also be streamed live with an NBA League Pass.
Also Read: Golden State Warriors: 3 areas to keep an eye on during the 2nd half of the 2020-21 NBA Season