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The Golden State Warriors suffered an unexpected and humiliating 39-point blowout loss against the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night. It was Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals and the Warriors went into the game with a chance to progress to the next round.
However, the Grizzlies, without Ja Morant, came out with an unreal amount of energy – putting the game to bed quite early.
Jaren Jackson Jr., Desmond Bane and Tyus Jones scored a combined 63 points – divided equally among the three of them. While Ja Morant was on the sidelines, enjoying every moment of his team’s showcase - showing up to perform under the pressure of elimination.
Nick Wright of “First Things First” gave his two cents on the Golden State Warriors’ disastrous night:
“So, this game was 29-28 [to] Memphis, with a minute left in the first quarter. 90 points in 25 minutes of basketball, which I looked it up – would be a near record for an All-Star game.”
The Warriors blew their chance of finishing the series early, despite the Grizzlies playing without their best player. The minute reports about Morant’s injury being serious surfaced; the Grizzlies were considered done, as their opponent is a playoff veteran.
Now, a Game 6 is necessary and the Grizzlies' offensive outburst has given them a much-needed confidence boost. Nick Wright believes the Golden State Warriors will get past the Grizzlies, but a deep playoff run seems unlikely, as he said:
“I don't agree with Ja. It's not going to be Grizz in 7. But you know what’s also not going to happen? – This Warriors team is not winning ten more playoff games. It is impossible for me to believe [that] this Warriors team can win the title.”
Golden State Warriors’ second-biggest playoff loss in Stephen Curry era
In what was supposed to be an important game for the Golden State Warriors, with a chance to win the series on the road – the 12-man unit led by Steph Curry suffered its biggest loss of the season so far.
A loss by such a margin is highly unexpected at this level and the Grizzlies deserve credit for sending a strong message.
The last time the Warriors lost by a similar margin was in the 2014 playoffs – in the first-round against the LA Clippers, where they lost by a 40-point margin.
Fast forward to 2022, despite the players having been exposed to the high-intensity platform multiple times – the Warriors could not find their footing, losing 95-134 in a playoff game.
Nick Wright went on to mention his waning faith in the Warriors’ ability to win a championship, as he said:
“I said earlier in the week, I was losing any faith I had in the Warriors’ ability to win a championship – its now down to zero. It's like a lot of my friends’ current crypto currencies. It was once flying high, and now we’re finding bottom. It is trading at zero right now, Brou.”
Losing in such fashion in the playoffs can be damaging to a team’s morale, however, the Warriors have a ton of experience under their belt.
The Golden State Warriors do not possess the roster strength they once did and the young Grizzlies have been a nagging presence for Steve Kerr so far.
The Warriors will return home to take on the Grizzlies in Game 6 and will require their stars to show up right from the tip-off.
Guess the Lakers players!
