"We do have championship pedigree" - Former DPOY confident after Golden State Warriors' gritty win over Grizzlies in Game 4
The Golden State Warriors took a commanding 3-1 series lead against the Memphis Grizzlies. Former NBA Defensive Player of the Year Draymond Green credited the Warriors' championship pedigree in getting the gritty win over the Grizzlies on Monday night.
On "The Draymond Green Show" on "The Volume," Green talked about the Warriors' 101-98 win at the Chase Center. The four-time NBA All-Star complimented the Grizzlies for playing great without Ja Morant. However, Green believed that Golden State's superior postseason experience was key to their win. He said:
"That is a team that was 20-5 in the regular season without Ja. They showed that tonight. We got away with one that we probably shouldn't have won, but we are battle tested. We do have championship pedigree, and we understand."
The Warriors were very cold from beyond the arc. They missed their first 15 attempts from beyond the arc before Otto Porter Jr. hit a three at the 3:24 mark before halftime. Steph Curry missed his first five threes before hitting his first with 46.2 seconds before halftime.
Curry ended with 32 points, five rebounds and eight assists. He made four 3-point shots, becoming the first player in NBA history to make 500 shots from beyond the arc in the playoffs. Andrew Wiggins, meanwhile, had 17 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks, while Jordan Poole added 14 points off the bench.
Meanwhile, the Grizzlies were without Ja Morant due to a knee injury. Tyus Jones started in his place and contributed 19 points, six rebounds and five assists. Four more Grizzlies players scored in double figures, but it was not enough to get the team a win.
Draymond Green blocked Jaren Jackson Jr.'s attempt to tie the game with 12 seconds left. Curry then put the game to bed with his free throws to give the Warriors a commanding 3-1 series lead. Game 5 is on Wednesday night in Memphis.
Golden State Warriors had emotional day heading into Game 4
Before the Golden State Warriors won Game 4, there was a lot of emotion heading into the game. Their associate coach Mike Brown was announced as the next coach of the Sacramento Kings, meaning he'll be gone from the Warriors bench after the postseason.
Steve Kerr then tested positive for COVID-19, and Brown took the reins for Game 4 and possibly Game 5. Amidst that, Draymond Green learned that his former Michigan State teammate and friend Adreian Payne was killed near his home in Orlando.
It was an emotional day for the Warriors, which reflected in their play. They struggled at the start of the game, but their defense kept the game alive. Steph Curry scored 18 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter to eventually put the game away.