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Wednesday night will bring a contest between the Golden State Warriors who will visit the Memphis Grizzlies for a Western Conference battle.
The Warriors are once again an elite team in the NBA continuing a trend that started in 2015. Since then, they have won 3 of the last 4 NBA Finals. This year they are in a position to be the best team in the West with a record of 50-23. They are also 24-12 on the road and have won 4 of their last 5 road games.
As for the home team, the Memphis Grizzlies are in the process of a rebuild having traded 33-year-old center Marc Gasol to Toronto, at the trade deadline. In return, they received center Jonas Valanciunas, Delon Wright and C.J. Miles.
The Grizzlies who struggle offensively, but are a solid defensive team, are 13th in the Western Conference and are just 30-44 on the season. Their home record is 20-18 but they are 4-1 in their last 5 home games.
The Golden State Warriors Starters
Head coach Steve Kerr is likely to rest players while balancing a push for the best record in the Western Conference. In fact, Sunday night’s victory over Detroit did not include any minutes for DeMarcus Cousins.
Kerr instead started Andrew Bogut. Kerr may just manage the minutes of his key players. It’s likely Steve Kerr will start G-Stephen Curry, G-Klay Thompson, F-Draymond Green, F-Kevin Durant, and C-Andrew Bogut.
The Memphis Grizzlies Starters
With Mike Conley missing Monday night’s victory over the OKC Thunder currently listed as day to day, expect the Grizzlies to start G-Delon Wright, G- Tyler Dorsey, F-Bruno Cabaclo, F-Justin Holiday, and C-Jonas Valanciunas.
Expectations and Prediction
The Memphis Grizzlies, who have a 20-18 home record this season, are actually 4-1 in their last 5 home games. Jonas Valanciunas has been a big part of those games. He has 110 points or 22ppg in those last 5 home games.
He is, in fact, averaging a double-double in those games. Valanciunas is also averaging 11.6 rpg in those same home games. He also had 18 points and 14 rebounds in the Grizzlies home victory over the Thunder on Monday night.
Another former Toronto Raptors’ player who is contributing well in Memphis is Delon Wright. The backup point guard, who will likely start Wednesday night, is averaging 10.8 ppg and 4.5 apg in 29.4 minutes a game.
A major concern for the Grizzlies is the offence. They rank last in the NBA in points per game at 102.8 ppg. The Grizzlies rank last in field goals made and field goals attempted. If Mike Conley and his 20ppg are not available on Wednesday night for the Grizzlies, they will struggle mightily to produce offence and score.
Conley, when available to play, averages 6.4apg which is the best on the team.
The Golden State Warriors, in contrast to the Grizzlies, are a splendid offensive team. The Warriors get 20 plus points per game out of Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, and Stephen Curry.
Curry, In fact, leads the team with 27.8 ppg. In addition, the Warriors are the epitome of sharing the ball. Three starters, Curry, Durant, and Green combine to record 17.8 assists per game. Ultimately, the Warriors, as a team, average 29.2 apg which is first in the NBA.
Andrew Bogut, who was recently signed for depth purposes by the Warriors, has now played 4 games averaging 5.3ppg and 6.3rpg. He is getting to play 16.3 minutes a game so far. In the Warriors victory over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday night, Bogut got the start at center and in 24 minutes he recorded 8 points, 3 assists, and 5 rebounds. This allowed DeMarcus Cousins to rest after the Warriors played Saturday night.
This game will be played by two teams that very well may look much different on July 1st, 2019 but for a very different reason. The Grizzlies are in the beginning stages of a rebuild and the Warriors, after the 2019 NBA playoffs, have free agents they may want to resign or let walk away due to financial considerations.
Wednesday night, however, the Warriors should win this game by 10 points.
Guess the Lakers players!
