The Warriors close out their homestand against the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night.
Warriors vs. GrizzliesFriday, Jan. 67:30 p.m.Oracle Arena
TV: CSN Bay Area, ESPN
RADIO: 95.7 The Game, Warriors Radio Network
GREETING THE GRIZZ
Undefeated through the first four games, the Warriors finish off their current five-game homestand on Friday night against the Memphis Grizzlies. This will be the second of four matchups between the two teams this season, after the Grizzlies prevailed 110-89 in their first encounter back on December 10 in Memphis. The game also falls on Authentic Fan Friday, and all fans in attendance will receive a cheer card, courtesy of CSN Bay Area. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Watch the action on CSN Bay Area and ESPN, or listen to the call on 95.7 The Game and the Warriors Radio Network.
LAST TIME OUT
The Warriors won their ninth consecutive home game after defeating the Trail Blazers 125-117 on Wednesday night. Full Recap
MATCHUP AT A GLANCE
GSW
31-5
1st in West
117.5 PPG (1st)
45.1 RPG (T-6th)
31.2 APG (1st)
MEM
22-16
7th in West
98.8 PPG (28th)
43.4 RPG (17th)
20.5 APG (26th)
PROJECTED STARTERS
GSW: Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green and Zaza Pachulia
MEM: Mike Conley, Tony Allen, Chandler Parsons, Jarell Martin and Marc Gasol
INJURY & ROSTER NOTES
GSW: None. Team Notes
MEM: Wade Baldwin IV (D-League assignement) and Troy Williams (D-League assignement) are not with the team. Deyonta Davis (left fott), Brandan Wright (left ankle) and JaMychal Green (maxilla fracture) are out. Team Notes
DOUBLE TROUBLE
The task of defending the Warriors’ league-leading offensive attack is much easier said than done, simply based on the bountiful number of weapons their roster boasts. That enviable arsenal was on display in Golden State’s victory over the Trail Blazers on Wednesday, in which Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant scored 35 and 30 points, respectively. It marked just the second time both Curry and Durant topped the 30-point mark in the same game, and they did so by varying methods. Durant was hyper-efficient, scoring his 30 points on just 16 shot attempts. Curry, on the other hand, utilized an increase in volume to score his 35 points. And while, yes, he did take 25 shots, the increase in volume here is meant to refer to his total number of touches in the game. Curry touched the ball 95 times in Wednesday’s win, a significant increase from his season average of 78 touches per game. It’s true – Curry is handling the ball less this season than he was a year ago. However, that’s not necessarily by mistake. “He made a clear effort in training camp to defer to Kevin, to get Kevin comfortable,” said Steve Kerr. “I think Steph has probably had the biggest adjustment of all of our players with Kevin’s arrival.” Kerr emphasizes that it’s an ongoing process as the entire team learns how best to utilize all its new parts, and adds, now at 31-5 on the season, there’s really nothing to worry about: “If you look at it from a practical standpoint, he’s doing great. His numbers are still fantastic.”
TEAM LEADERS
GSW
PTS: Durant (25.8)
REB: Durant (8.6)
AST: Green (7.6)
MEM
PTS: Gasol (19.7)
REB: Randolph (7.6)
AST: Conley (5.7)
MEMPHIS SCOUTING REPORT
The Grizzlies easily outplayed Golden State to the tune of a 21-point victory in their only other meeting this season back on December 10th to move to 18-9 on the season, but since then, their season has taken a bit of a downturn. After splitting a home-and-home series with the Cavaliers, Memphis has lost seven of their last 11 games, including back-to-back losses to the two L.A. teams in their last two games. Still, they’re 22-16, currently in seventh in the West and just recently achieved a positive point-differential on the season. Defense will be the name of Friday’s game, as both the Warriors and Grizzlies are tied with the Jazz for the second-best defensive rating in the league, allowing an average of 101.5 points per 100 possessions. Memphis held Golden State to a season-low 89 points and forced them into a season-high 23 turnovers in their only other meeting this season, and if the Warriors hope to avoid a similar outcome on Friday, they’d be wise to address those same areas of concern.