Golden State Warriors: Ranking Best First Round Playoff Matchups
2. Memphis Grizzlies
Mandatory Credit: Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports
With a roster stacked with grinders, brawlers, and street-balling thugs, the Memphis Grizzlies are a nightmare for anybody playing them in the first round of the playoffs. With a loaded frontcourt headlined by MVP candidate Marc Gasol, the Grizzlies pose perhaps the worst on-paper matchup in the league for the Warriors.
The Grizzlies were the team that ended the Warriors’ league-high 16-game winning streak back in December. Gasol is not only the most complete defensive big man, with quick feet, instincts, and length, but is also one of the best offensive low-post players in the league. Working as the facilitator at the high post, Gasol’s play allows for Zach Randolph to beat mismatched defenders in the low post.
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The Grizzlies are no joke on the perimeter either. They likely have one of the best defensive backcourts in the league in Mike Conley and Tony Allen, and those two will ensure Stephen Curry and Thompson have no room to breathe throughout the series. For the Warriors to win this nightmare of a matchup, they’ll have to play to their advantage and to the Grizzlies’ disadvantage – their pace.
The Grizzlies will do everything in their power to slow the pace of the game, slowing it down to a grind that suits their style of play. For the Dubs to win, they’ll have to set the tempo and attack the slow-footed Grizzlies in transition.
With Conley and Allen breathing down their necks, the Splash Brothers will find the most three-point opportunities during fast breaks. The Warriors are praying they don’t see the Grizzlies in the playoffs at all, but if they do, they’ll have to ensure they set the pace if they hope to prevail.
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