The Golden State Warriors are in a tough spot.
After suffering perhaps one of the worse losses in franchise playoff history, the series goes back to Chase Center where the Dubs have a chance to close out the Grizzlies once and for all. According to Warriors PR, the 39-point loss was the fifth largest playoff loss in franchise history. It was the ugliest since April 21, 2014, when the Dubs fell to the Clippers by 40 points in Game 2 of the First Round.
The Grizzlies will not have Ja Morant for the foreseeable future, but that did not stop the boisterous superstar from voicing his confidence in his team.
Ja chanting “Grizz in seven” 😬
Players of the Warriors will be the first ones to tell anyone they fell flat in their Game 5 effort. Klay Thompson admitted that the Warriors never had any control of the game.
“From the opening tip, we didn’t have great flow,” Thompson admits to the media postgame. “They were more aggressive than us, reflected in 30 free throws to our 13.”
Klay calls tonight’s loss “embarrassing.”
The Dubs were down big at halftime, but the third quarter—when they were outscored 42-17—was truly what made their effort embarrassing. Steph Curry, Jordan Poole, and Thompson finished the game -37, -34, and -45 respectively.
Modern Warriors Are Not the Same as Their Past Championship Warriors’ Squads
Memphis went 20-5 during the regular season without Morant, so they were very capable of winning Game 5 without their star. The problem was nobody could have predicted the Dubs to fall behind by more than 50 points.
People were caught off guard by the ugly loss because of how dominant the Warriors have been during the 2015-19 peak seasons. Former Warriors Richard Jefferson said on ESPN “NBA Today” how this current variation of the Warriors is not something he is accustomed to seeing.
“You just get blown out at a historic level—at one point in time they were down by 55 [points],” Jefferson says. “That’s not the Warriors team that I have grown to know, respect and at times you have to fear them, that’s not the same team.”
Patrick Beverley Has Thoughts for the Doubters
Patrick Beverley, who has had many tough battles with Curry and the Warriors, did not buy Jefferson’s comments.
“That team winning the championship, I don’t know what y’all on,” Beverley says matter of fact. “This is the Golden State Warriors we’re talking about, man…that boy over there [Jordan] Poole can hoop. This young boy [Jonathan] Kuminga … the boy can hoop.”
Beverley played against the Warriors during the 2016 and 2019 playoffs—both ending in defeat for the pesky defender. Having an on-court seat to the Dubs’ dominance, he may know a thing or two about how dominant the Warriors can be.
“They’re going to play whoever in the Eastern Conference for the championship,” Beverley asserts.
This may be the only time Dubs fans and Beverley will agree on anything. For what it’s worth, fans are likely holding their breath and hoping Beverley is clairvoyant for once.
Comments
Long Time Nuisance Predicts Warriors’ Title Chances