The much-anticipated Western Conference semifinals are finally staged, the Warriors' away game against the Grizzlies has finally begun, and last season's playoff rivals have once again competed. Morant's performance this season has taken it to the next level, and he has once again demonstrated his unparalleled ability to break through in the first round of the game against the Timberwolves, and he can be described as the representative of the new generation of superstars. In addition to the Warriors' still unstoppable Splash Brothers, Poole's rapid growth has brought a windfall, giving the team an additional answer to the choice of key moments, and no team can completely limit the attack of the three muskets.
From the lineup point of view, the Warriors lack Wiseman, the veteran of the interior and Iguodala, and the rest of the members are healthy; the Grizzlies are three players missing, but they are not part of the core lineup, so it does not affect the team's immediate combat effectiveness. There was a slight grudge between the two teams about Iguodala not reporting to the Grizzlies after being traded, and being sarcastically booed by Players such as Dillon. The Grizzlies are also very competitive, not only defeating the Warriors in last season's playoffs, but also winning three of the four games this season, reaching unprecedented heights in momentum and confidence.
When the two sides entered the game, the Warriors used a small lineup to directly fight with each other's bayonets, and the fight for rebounds was also very fierce, which was reflected in Wiggins's focus and attitude. Because Payton Jr. defended Morant so well during the regular season, he was given the opportunity to start, and Poole was pressed on the bench. The momentum of the first quarter of the game was in the hands of the Grizzlies, and the Warriors were constantly chasing points step by step, and the offensive climax of the two sides came and went, and the Grizzlies led 32-24 at the end of the first quarter.
Back in the second quarter, Klay received his third foul not long after the game began, and the Warriors' game plan was completely disrupted. Watching the Grizzlies slowly widen the point gap, Poole on the court hit two three-pointers to help the team play a 10-0 counter-attack attack. The Warriors will eventually be able to slowly catch up with the score, and Green's defense is indispensable, but then his lack of calm led to a foul of the second degree and was subsequently expelled. With Morant's whistle-throw, the Grizzlies took a 61-55 lead at halftime.
After the start of the second half, the Warriors gradually adjusted to the lineup without Green, and Klay's steal score and Curry's seven consecutive points helped the Warriors achieve a score reversal. The two sides then went into a state of confrontation, the score remained anxious for a long time, and the Warriors ended the third quarter 91-90. In the final quarter, Poole ushered in a big explosion, teaming up with Klay to play a wave of 9-0 offense, and the Warriors led the opponent by up to 10 points. Then the Grizzlies scored nine consecutive points to pull the score back, but in the end they were not able to complete the kill, and finally the Warriors defeated the Grizzlies by one point to welcome the opening.
Without Green's defensive and offensive pivotal role, the Warriors have become more heroic, knowing that they have no capital to make mistakes. Whether it's Porter's tough rebounds, Payton Jr.'s awesome defense, or Wiggins' attacking baskets, the role players have played their true colors. However, the three brothers of Shui Huacha jointly cut 70 points, 12 rebounds and 16 assists, which is the basis of the Warriors' victory, and the three of them played no worse than the attack of the former "Tsunami Three Brothers".
Curry played 37 minutes in this game and had 23 points, 3 rebounds and 4 assists; Thompson played 30 minutes and shot 6 of 19, including 3 of 10 three-pointers and 2 of 0 free throws, and got 15 points, 1 rebound and 3 assists; Poole played 37 minutes off the bench, shooting 12 of 20, including 5 of 10 three-pointers, 2 of 2 free throws, and got 31 points, 8 rebounds, 9 assists and 2 blocks, almost the warriors' best player. But the little fairies still have to exaggerate the performance of the splash brothers, Klay's anti-super desperate three-pointer, and Curry's key cover, let us see the responsibility of the splash brothers, and then show their might to defeat the Grizzlies.
The Warriors have already stolen a victory on the road, holding home advantage firmly in their hands, and then they must cherish it. As well as Green's "stupid move", it should also be well reflected, after all, his brainless mistakes in the 2016 Finals indirectly led to the Warriors losing a championship, which is too much at a cost.