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The Memphis Grizzlies outplayed the Golden State Warriors for the majority of the night to eventually claim a 117-112 victory in overtime. Ja Morant came up clutch for Taylor Jenkins' side, who'll now be playing the Utah Jazz in the first round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs.
A late burst from the Golden State Warriors in the fourth quarter saw them level the game with the scorecard reading 99-99 at the end of regulation. The Warriors even took an early lead in overtime, but then Morant and co. took over to finish the job.
Ja Morant and Stephen Curry went gung-ho on offense, scoring 35 and 39 points respectively. Yet it was the small contributions from elsewhere that tipped the tide in favor of the Memphis Grizzlies.
Ja Morant turns up in the clutch to send the Memphis Grizzlies into the NBA Playoffs
While it was a collective effort from the Memphis Grizzlies on the defensive end, Ja Morant sure did turn up while attacking the basket and applied the finishing touches. He scored 15 of his 35 points in the fourth quarter and overtime.
Morant created the open look for teammate Xavier Tillman, who scored a three-pointer to give the Memphis Grizzlies the ultimate lead in overtime. The 2020 Rookie of the Year then scored two buckets in succession – including the dagger – to seal the deal. The Twitterati gave Morant much deserved respect for his efforts.
Dillon Brooks also received plaudits for his incredible defense on Stephen Curry all night. Brooks didn't allow Curry any room and forced two turnovers. The Memphis Grizzlies had to dig deep to overcome the heavily favored Golden State Warriors and were commended for the same.
Stephen Curry gives it his all but the Golden State Warriors fall short
If there's one Golden State Warriors player who cannot be blamed tonight, it's Stephen Curry. Despite being double and triple-teamed all night, Curry managed to score 39 points on 13-of-28 shooting. He contributed on the defensive end too and managed three steals.
Draymond Green had a triple-double with 11 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists. but he was very casual with the ball and committed six turnovers. The Golden State Warriors were terrible at handling possession overall, allowing a total of 23 turnovers. Green was also criticized for not being enough of an offensive threat when he was left open with Curry getting double-teamed.
It's the end of the road for the Golden State Warriors, who will be hoping to mount a challenge next season with a returning Klay Thompson among their ranks. Meanwhile, the Memphis Grizzlies will prepare for their first playoff game against the Utah Jazz on Sunday night.
Guess the Lakers players!
