Getty Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors and Dillon Brooks of the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Golden State Warriors have consistently failed to main any sort of consistency over the course of the season. Whenever they manage to move their record above the .500 mark, a losing streak brings them right back down to earth.
All season long, they have failed to play up to par on the road. That trend continued on Saturday night with a loss to the Memphis Grizzlies – a team they have developed a rivalry with. After the game, Dillon Brooks called out Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.
“Oh, yeah,” Brooks said when asked if it was easy to get up for this game via Clutch Points. “They got Draymond talking. They got Klay talking. So, it’s easy to get ready for this game I was ready. I only got four hours of sleep, and I was already ready to go.”
Memphis was able to dominate the Warriors for the majority of the game, going up by as many as 20 points in the fourth quarter. It marked Golden State’s third loss in a row, and all three games have been on the road.
Brooks put up some solid stats against the Warriors. He finished the game with 18 points, three rebounds, and three assists on 7-of-10 shooting from the floor and a red-hot 4-of-4 shooting from behind the three-point line.
As for Thompson, he struggled with his efficiency against Memphis. Thompson ended the night with 14 points, one rebound, and one block on 6-of-17 shooting from the floor and 2-of-9 shooting from beyond the three-point arc.
Steve Kerr Sounds Off on Jonathan Kuminga
One of the only bright spots for the Warriors against the Grizzlies was second-year forward Jonathan Kuminga, who dropped a team-high 24 points. After the game, head coach Steve Kerr praised the young star for his development.
“Yeah, JK [Kuminga] was great,” Kerr said via the NBA Interviews YouTube channel. “He played both ends. Knocked down his threes. Rebounded well. That was the biggest thing. That’s the thing that we’re looking for all the time. He had eight rebounds tonight. Three offensive. If he adds that to his game consistently, it’ll change everything for him. And so, we’re gonna stay on him about that. And he’s a young guy, so he’s learning so much every single day, and he’s making strides. So, very happy with his development.”
Donte DiVincenzo Sends Message on Warriors
After the Warriors’ loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night, Donte DiVincenzo spoke about how they have to step up and play up to par even when players are out due to injury.
“I think it’s more mental after the game,” DiVincenzo said via the NBA Interviews YouTube channel. “Leading into the game tonight, I don’t think anybody was thinking about whatever the losing streak was on the road or whatever our struggles were. I think we were in a good place, and I think that’s consistent. I think we’re starting the game off in a good spot. And I think, like I said, when they make the run, I think we have to stay together through the run. We’re going to make our run at some point. So, just that togetherness, I think, needs to be there a little bit more. But it’s also tough when you have 10 guys. Dray’s out, and Andre [Iguodala] and Wiggs [Andrew Wiggins] and Gary [Payton II]. It’s tough, but I think we still have the firepower to win games on the road. And I think is tomorrow’s a big opportunity for us to bounce back and actually play a full 48 together.”