Warriors’ four key issues heading into Game 3 vs. Grizzlies
Klay Thompson's shot selection, guarding Ja Morant and turnovers are
among top priorities for Warriors
>MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE – MAY 3: Golden State Warriors’ Klay Thompson (11)
scores a basket against Memphis Grizzlies’ Tyus Jones (21) in the first
quarter of Game 2 of an NBA basketball second-round Western Conference
playoff series at the FedEx Forum in Memphis, Tenn., on Tuesday, May 3,
2022. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
>MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE – MAY 3: Golden State Warriors’ Klay Thompson (11)
scores a basket against Memphis Grizzlies’ Tyus Jones (21) in the first
quarter of Game 2 of an NBA basketball second-round Western Conference
playoff series at the FedEx Forum in Memphis, Tenn., on Tuesday, May 3,
2022. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
By JANNELLE MOORE |
PUBLISHED: May 6, 2022 at 5:45 a.m. | UPDATED: May 6, 2022 at 6:16 a.m.
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2022/05/06/warriors-four-key-issues-heading-into-game-3-vs-grizzlies/

When the Golden State Warriors lose games, there’s no team in the NBA
that elicits more extreme reactions. Haters and critics of the team flex
their Twitter fingers, salivating to type the most asinine take they
could think of. If it isn’t the haters piling on, it’s pockets of the
fanbase that often twerk to the beat of hyperbole and leave their
gluteal prints all over the panic button.

When you strip away the hype and overreactions, what remains is this:
While the Warriors didn’t earn extra credit by winning two games in
Memphis, they understood the assignment nonetheless. They stole one on
the road and gained homecourt advantage.

Now with the series moving to San Francisco, the Warriors have an
opportunity to regain control of this series. For Game 3 on Saturday,
here are some adjustments that the Warriors should be expected to make.

- Cut Down On Turnovers

In Game 2, the Warriors committed 18 turnovers and gave up 10 points as
a result. Turnovers have been a chronic weakness of the Warriors ever
since their championship runs. This is a byproduct of an offense that’s
predicated on ball and player movement. However, committing 18 turnovers
is unacceptable in any offense. The quantity of turnovers was bad but
the quality of them was even worse.

Lazy, telegraphed passes were more of a momentum killer than the
turnovers that the Grizzlies forced. Turnovers are hard to avoid with
this team, but Golden State can reduce the amount by resisting the urge
to overpass. While the Warriors will pass until they get the best look
available, sometimes they indulge in overpassing for even a better look.
When that preferred look isn’t there, the best look available should
suffice.

- Better Execution At The Point Of Attack

Part of the Warriors’ 7-of-18 night from 3 had more to do with the
Grizzlies’ defense than just missing open shots. Memphis’ defenders were
pressing up on the perimeter in Game 2. Their length and willingness to
overplay not only forced some of those 18 turnovers, they also ran
Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson off the line when they weren’t trying to
force 3s.

As a result of overplaying the 3, the Grizzlies concede mid-range shots
and the paint. In the first half, Curry took advantage of what the
Grizzlies gave him and scored 15 points by not forcing anything from
three, getting to the rim and hitting mid-range jumpers. In the second
half, Curry began to settle for 3s and didn’t realize he had some
mismatches to exploit when the Grizzlies would switch on defense.

[video: Warriors at Griizzlies May 3, 2022 full highlights]

An Andrew Wiggins screen dialed up a Curry switch onto Kyle Anderson
late in the third quarter. He doesn’t settle for the 3 here. Instead, he
drove and drained the mid-range jumper. While this was a successful
attack on a switch, there were several opportunities that were missed by
forcing the issue from deep.

In Game 3, expect Memphis to continue to run Curry and Thompson off the
3-point line. Instead of forcing the issue, the Warriors should continue
to go inside or use the mid-range until the Grizzlies are forced to adjust.

- About Klay

While the shot selection of the Warriors as a collective was horrid in
Game 2, Klay Thompson was the biggest offender of the night. Shooting
5-of-19 from the field and 2-of-12 from 3 in his 41 minutes, Thompson
forced and rushed his shots.

Normally, Thompson scores in rhythm, catch-and-shoot situations. During
the two games in the series, Thompson, for whatever reason, is
attempting to dribble into his shots. As a result, Thompson is shooting
11-of-38 from the field and 5-of-22 from deep for the series thus far.
Frequently he’s attempting shots that he doesn’t usually take.

Thompson caught lots of attention from Warriors fans when he took on
four Grizzlies defenders in transition and clanked a fadeaway jumper
with 19 seconds remaining on the shot clock midway through the third
quarter.

When I think about Thompson’s first two games of the series, I wonder if
he’s forcing the issue because he’s trying to search for his own shot
while playing alongside Curry and Jordan Poole or if he’s doing so
because he’s trying so hard to return to and remain “Game 6 Klay”. If
it’s the former, Thompson should scale back and let those shots come
organically in the flow of the offense. If it’s the latter, Thompson
must remember that he is still in a post-rehab stage and shouldn’t force
what isn’t there yet.

- Guarding and Attacking Morant

Ja Morant is an athletic and dynamic guard who can drive downhill and
put pressure on the rim. He led all guards in the league in points in
the paint during the regular season.

The Warriors’ strategy so far in the series is to make Morant shoot
jumpers and concede the 3. The problem is Morant is hitting them,
shooting 5-of-12 from distance in Game 2. Not only was Morant hitting
the shots that the Warriors dared him to take, but he was also getting
to the rim with little to no resistance. Why? Because Gary Payton II,
the Warriors’ best defender of Morant, was out with a fractured elbow
after a foul by Dillon Brooks.

With no Payton to make things uncomfortable for Morant, the Warriors
might need to diversify their approach on defense. If they decide to
play Morant man-to-man, they need to know that in some matchups, it’s
better to focus on guarding the habits of the player instead of guarding
the player himself. Morant has a tendency to drive to the left with his
left hand and shoot with his right.

[video: Warriors at Griiizlies May 3, 2022 full highlights]

Notice how Morant drives to his left to get to his spot. When he rises
up to shoot, it’s with his right hand. In this clip, Wiggins attempted
to guard the right side and “sit” on Morant’s right hand. Instead of
forcing him to shoot left, Wiggins tried to contest the right-handed
floater. The primary defender should remember to sit on Morant’s right
hand and force him into shooting left-handed.

The Warriors could also try trapping Morant before he gets to the paint
and roll out various zone sets in addition to conceding 3s to him.

The Warriors can use their offense defensively. The Grizzlies
shamelessly hunted Poole on defense in the second half of Game 2. The
Warriors and their three-guard lineup could and should do the same. With
Curry, Thompson, and Poole on the floor, there’s nowhere to hide for
Morant defensively. The Warriors should lean into that and make Morant
work defensively. With Payton being out, this may be the best option for
the Warriors to wear down Morant in the series.

--
Jannelle Moore | Guest Analyst