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The Memphis Grizzlies and the Golden State Warriors will face off at Chase Center on Friday in the third and final game of the Western Conference's play-in tournament.
The winner of the matchup will seal a berth in the 2021 NBA playoffs and will face the Utah Jazz in the first round. Meanwhile, the losing team's season will come to an end.
Both teams played their respective first games of the NBA play-in tournament on Wednesday. The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the San Antonio Spurs 100-96 to set up a knockout game for the eighth seed against the Golden State Warriors, who lost to the LA Lakers 100-103.
Match Details
Fixture - Memphis Grizzlies vs Golden State Warriors | NBA Play-in Tournament 2021
Date & Time - Friday, May 21st; 9:00 PM ET (Saturday, May 22nd, 6:30 AM IST).
Venue - Chase Center, San Francisco, CA.
Memphis Grizzlies Preview
The Memphis Grizzlies were the favorites heading into the game against the San Antonio Spurs in the 9th vs 10th place play-in tournament game. The Grizzlies emerged victorious as expected. However, it wasn't an outright dominant performance from them, and there is still a lot of room for improvement.
The Memphis Grizzlies led by 19 points in the first quarter of the game, and it looked like they were going to steamroll past their opponents. However, they faltered at the defensive end and gave up their lead down the stretch.
The Golden State Warriors are a much more difficult side, and the Grizzlies will have to make sure they build on a good start if they manage to get one.
Ja Morant (20 points), Dillon Brooks (24 points) and Jonas Valanciunas (23 points and 23 rebounds) produced solid performances against the Spurs to lead their team to a win.
Head coach Taylor Jenkins will be banking on the trio to deliver against the Golden State Warriors, who played brilliantly in their last game against the LA Lakers.
Key Player - Dillon Brooks
Dillon Brooks will be eager for redemption in this game after being fouled out in the previous meeting between the sides on May 16th.
He was tasked with guarding Steph Curry for the majority of the matchup and was the Memphis Grizzlies' best bet to contain the 2021 NBA scoring champ.
Curry racked up 11 of his 46 points after Brooks was fouled out with over six minutes left. While it may not be easy to stop the Warriors star from having a huge night scoring-wise, containing him as much as possible does limit his overall offensive game.
That will put pressure on the rest of the players on the Golden State Warriors roster, which could work in the Memphis Grizzlies' favor.
Memphis Grizzlies Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Ja Morant l Shooting Guard - Dillon Brooks l Small Forward - Kyle Anderson l Power Forward - Jaren Jackson Jr. l Center - Jonas Valanciunas.
Golden State Warriors Preview
The Golden State Warriors put up a great fight against the LA Lakers on Wednesday. They started the game with great intensity and surprised everyone by taking a 13-point lead over the defending champions at half-time.
The two sides exchanged leads in the last few minutes of the game. However, LeBron James converted a 34-foot three-point attempt with just under a minute to go, helping the Lakers defeat the Warriors by a margin of three points.
Steph Curry led the charge with 37 points despite being limited to just nine three-point attempts, while Draymond Green was a beast defensively, making 3 blocks and as many steals along with nine defensive boards.
The Golden State Warriors will be eager to put this disappointing loss aside and beat the Memphis Grizzlies for the third time this season.
Key player - Draymond Green
Draymond Green has been phenomenal for the Golden State Warriors this season and has led the team with great impact alongside Steph Curry. While Curry is expected to have a high-scoring game as usual, Green will have to make sure he delivers on the defensive end against the Memphis Grizzlies.
Green was terrific against the LA Lakers and put Anthony Davis under tremendous pressure throughout the game. He will have to replicate that kind of play against the likes of Jonas Valanciunas and Jaren Jackson Jr. on Friday to make sure his team secures a playoff berth for the 2021 NBA season.
Green had 14 points, nine assists and as many rebounds the last time the two sides met. He will definitely be a problem for the Memphis Grizzlies if he is at the peak of his defensive abilities.
Golden State Warriors Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Steph Curry l Shooting Guard - Kent Bazemore l Small Forward - Andrew Wiggins l Power Forward - Draymond Green l Center - Kevon Looney.
Grizzlies vs Warriors Prediction
The Golden State Warriors will be the favorites heading into this tie, owing to their experience of playing in crunch games. Steph Curry's form is another factor that swings the tie in the Dubs' favor.
Having said that, Friday's encounter will be the perfect opportunity for the Memphis Grizzlies to rectify errors from their last game against the Golden State Warriors.
Both teams are expected to fight hard, and the game will likely go down to the wire.
Where to watch Grizzlies vs Warriors
The game between the Memphis Grizzlies and the Golden State Warriors will be televised nationally on ESPN. Fans can also stream the game live on the NBA League Pass.
Also read: "All-time great players make great shots" - Steph Curry on LeBron James' unreal game-winner
