Warriors take series lead vs. Grizzlies after dominant Game 3 win
The Warriors responded from a terrible shooting performance in Game 2
with one of their best in Game 3 Saturday night at Chase Center.
>SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – MAY 7: Golden State Warriors’ Jordan
Poole enjoys a fourth quarter basket against the Memphis Grizzlies in
Game 3 of a second-round NBA basketball playoff series at Chase Center
in San Francisco, Calif., on Saturday, May 7, 2022. (Karl Mondon/Bay
Area News Group)
>SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – MAY 7: Golden State Warriors’ Jordan Poole
enjoys a fourth quarter basket against the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 3
of a second-round NBA basketball playoff series at Chase Center in San
Francisco, Calif., on Saturday, May 7, 2022. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News
Group)
By MADELINE KENNEY | mkenney@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group
PUBLISHED: May 7, 2022 at 8:08 p.m. | UPDATED: May 7, 2022 at 9:49 p.m.
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2022/05/07/warriors-take-2-1-series-lead-vs-grizzlies-after-dominant-game-3-win/

SAN FRANCISCO — The Warriors responded from a terrible shooting
performance in Game 2 with one of their best in Game 3 Saturday night at
Chase Center.

An explosive third quarter, led by Stephen Curry, Jordan Poole and Klay
Thompson, paved the way for the Warriors’ dominant 142-112 rout of the
Grizzlies, which gave Golden State a 2-1 lead in the Western Conference
semifinals series.

After shooting a dismal 18.4% from 3-point range in Tuesday night’s
loss, the Warriors rediscovered their offensive groove by being more
patient and getting better looks. They shot 63.1% from the field, 53.1%
from beyond the arc and made more triples by the end of the third
quarter than they did in Tuesday’s loss.

Six Warriors finished in double-digit scoring. Poole and Curry led the
way, recording 30 and 27 points, respectively. Thompson had 21 and
Andrew Wiggins added 17.

The Warriors’ 142 points are the second-most Golden State has scored in
a playoff game in franchise history, only one point short of tying the
franchise record of 143 from an April 1, 1967 win over the St. Louis Hawks.

Golden State shooting 63.1% on the night is also the second-best in a
playoff game in franchise history, with the only game better coming when
the Warriors shot 64.6% on April 23, 2013 in a 131-117 win over the
Denver Nuggets.

“The ball was really moving tonight,” Thompson said. “When we trust each
other and we just hit the open man, we’ve got so much great shooting
that we’re capable of nights like this.”

It was open shooting from deep for the Grizzlies, who made 16 3-pointers
and shot 37.2% from distance. But with Memphis leaving lanes wide open,
the Warriors dominated the paint, scoring 62 of their 142 points there.

Ja Morant was the Grizzlies’ lone lifeline in the third quarter, scoring
13 of Memphis’ 23 points. But his efforts weren’t nearly enough to
counter the scoring frenzy the Warriors had.

But the bigger story for Morant happened late in the fourth, when he
seemed to hurt his knee and left the floor before the end of the fourth
quarter. Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said Morant was being evaluated
and inferred the Grizzlies feel the injury occurred from an intentional act.

“He was going after a dribble and Jordan Poole grabbed his knee and
yanked it,” Jenkins said. “I’m going to be very curious to see what
happens after that.”

The Warriors opened the second half with a 18-6 run and ultimately
outscored the Grizzlies 37-23. Thompson, who didn’t attempt a shot from
beyond the arc in the first half, made three triples in the third quarter.

The Warriors again won the battle of the board, outrebounding the
Grizzlies 38-29.

Wiggins continues to be the Warriors’ most consistent player of this
series. He was an aggressive defender, contesting shots, disrupting
passing lanes and pulling down rebounds. He led the Warriors’ scoring in
the first half with 15 points.

Jonathan Kuminga became the youngest player in at least 50 years to
start a playoff game as the 19-year-old started in place of Gary Payton
II, who’s sidelined for at least two weeks with a broken left elbow
suffered in Game 2. Coach Steve Kerr said he went to Kuminga to supplant
Payton’s athleticims around the rim.

Kuminga scored the Warriors’ first four points and had stopped Ja Morant
from getting the basket a couple of times in the first quarter. He was
replaced by Otto Porter Jr. just past the midway point of the first quarter.

Porter started the second quarter in place of Kuminga after he had his
best performance of the playoffs. Porter has no issue with doing the
dirty work for the Warriors. He finished with 13 points, four rebounds
and three assists and boasted a plus-30 in 24 minutes.

The crowd slowly chanted “Warriors” midway through the fourth quarter
after Kyle Anderson received a technical for arguing a call with
referees. The chant turned into a roar after Anderson was ejected when
he continued to gnaw at an official.

Morant led all scorers with 34 points, scoring 17 in each half.

The only thing that got in Golden State’s way was themselves in the
first half when they turned the ball over a whopping 14 times, off of
which the Grizzlies scored 19 points.

“Early on, we were probably getting too deep into the paint, trying to
kick it out, we’re dancing a little bit on our cuts and then just being
careless with the basketball,” Draymond Green said. “… not turning the
ball over allows us to get our defense set, when you get your defense
set, you come down with a balanced floor… you can get transition
opportunities and so they all go hand-in-hand.”

The Warriors took much better care of the ball in the second, tallying
only three turnovers the rest of the game.

After the Grizzlies evened the series in an aggressive Game 2 in
Memphis, coach Steve Kerr threw shade at Dillon Brooks, who was
suspended Saturday after taking out Payton in the previous contest,
while explaining the Warriors’ mantra for Game 3.

“Battle for every loose ball, battle for every rebound, compete for
every possession, and don’t risk a guy’s career if he’s ahead of the
play in transition,” Kerr said.

That’s what the Warriors did.

Golden State will look to build off this commanding victory when they
host the Grizzlies for Game 4 on Monday. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.

“None of the guys in our locker room are satisfied,” Thompson said. “We
did our job, but we’ve still got two more to get.”

--
Madeline Kenney | Warriors reporter

Allen wrote:
> Warriors take series lead vs. Grizzlies after dominant Game 3 win
> The Warriors responded from a terrible shooting performance in Game 2
> with one of their best in Game 3 Saturday night at Chase Center.
> >SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA –  MAY 7: Golden State Warriors’ Jordan
> Poole enjoys a fourth quarter basket against the Memphis Grizzlies in
> Game 3 of a second-round NBA basketball playoff series at Chase Center
> in San Francisco, Calif., on Saturday, May 7, 2022. (Karl Mondon/Bay
> Area News Group)
> >SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – MAY 7: Golden State Warriors’ Jordan Poole
> enjoys a fourth quarter basket against the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 3
> of a second-round NBA basketball playoff series at Chase Center in San
> Francisco, Calif., on Saturday, May 7, 2022. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News
> Group)
> By MADELINE KENNEY | mkenney@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group
> PUBLISHED: May 7, 2022 at 8:08 p.m. | UPDATED: May 7, 2022 at 9:49 p.m.
> https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2022/05/07/warriors-take-2-1-series-lead-vs-grizzlies-after-dominant-game-3-win/
>
>
>
> SAN FRANCISCO — The Warriors responded from a terrible shooting
> performance in Game 2 with one of their best in Game 3 Saturday night at
> Chase Center.
>
> An explosive third quarter, led by Stephen Curry, Jordan Poole and Klay
> Thompson, paved the way for the Warriors’ dominant 142-112 rout of the
> Grizzlies, which gave Golden State a 2-1 lead in the Western Conference
> semifinals series.
>
> After shooting a dismal 18.4% from 3-point range in Tuesday night’s
> loss, the Warriors rediscovered their offensive groove by being more
> patient and getting better looks. They shot 63.1% from the field, 53.1%
> from beyond the arc and made more triples by the end of the third
> quarter than they did in Tuesday’s loss.
>
> Six Warriors finished in double-digit scoring. Poole and Curry led the
> way, recording 30 and 27 points, respectively. Thompson had 21 and
> Andrew Wiggins added 17.
>
> The Warriors’ 142 points are the second-most Golden State has scored in
> a playoff game in franchise history, only one point short of tying the
> franchise record of 143 from an April 1, 1967 win over the St. Louis Hawks.
>
> Golden State shooting 63.1% on the night is also the second-best in a
> playoff game in franchise history, with the only game better coming when
> the Warriors shot 64.6% on April 23, 2013 in a 131-117 win over the
> Denver Nuggets.
>
> “The ball was really moving tonight,” Thompson said. “When we trust each
> other and we just hit the open man, we’ve got so much great shooting
> that we’re capable of nights like this.”
>
> It was open shooting from deep for the Grizzlies, who made 16 3-pointers
> and shot 37.2% from distance. But with Memphis leaving lanes wide open,
> the Warriors dominated the paint, scoring 62 of their 142 points there.
>
> Ja Morant was the Grizzlies’ lone lifeline in the third quarter, scoring
> 13 of Memphis’ 23 points. But his efforts weren’t nearly enough to
> counter the scoring frenzy the Warriors had.
>
> But the bigger story for Morant happened late in the fourth, when he
> seemed to hurt his knee and left the floor before the end of the fourth
> quarter. Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said Morant was being evaluated
> and inferred the Grizzlies feel the injury occurred from an intentional
> act.
>
> “He was going after a dribble and Jordan Poole grabbed his knee and
> yanked it,” Jenkins said. “I’m going to be very curious to see what
> happens after that.”

Now this is turning into a story. Morant apparently tweeted that Poole
"broke the code," then deleted the tweet.

Steph, Klay and Poole all had to address it during their postgame media
availability:

Steph:

https://twitter.com/anthonyVslater/status/1523155313628569600

Klay:

https://twitter.com/NBCSWarriors/status/1523152927136706560

Poole:

https://twitter.com/anthonyVslater/status/1523144785900412928

This is the play:

https://twitter.com/3cbPerformance/status/1523139332168568832

Another angle:

https://twitter.com/DrGuru_/status/1523151197758275584

A physical therapist doesn't think the tug had any effect:

https://twitter.com/3cbPerformance/status/1523153717553352707

The Internet says Morant injured his knee on this earlier play:

https://twitter.com/ClutchPointsApp/status/1523145918672822273

A lot of people are bringing up this play, when Bane dove into Poole but
Poole was called for a foul:

https://twitter.com/DrGuru_/status/1523151203546406912

--Robin