Golden State Warriors vs. Memphis Grizzlies Second Round Preview

Mar 27, 2015; Memphis, TN, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) passes the ball out of the lane in the first half as Memphis Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph (50) looks on at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

Coming off a sweep of the New Orleans Pelicans in the first round of the NBA Playoffs, the Golden State Warriors are set to face the Memphis Grizzlies in the Western Conference Semifinals. This matchup will feature the number one-seeded Warriors up against the fifth-seeded Grizzlies.

Both of these teams are experienced playoff teams, but these two teams have completely contrasting playing styles. The Warriors play up-tempo, and they like to run and get into transition. The Grizzlies play with a more physical approach and a slow, grind-it-out type of pace. This series will feature speed vs. grit.

The Warriors finished the 2014-15 regular season with a 67-15 record, which was the sixth best record in NBA history. They have secured the top overall seed and home court advantage throughout the playoffs. The Warriors have recently become the favorite to win the NBA title, and they are physically and mentally prepared to go on a deep playoff run.

Although the Grizzlies owned the second best record in the Western Conference for much of the regular season, they finished the season going 5-6 with an overall record of 55-27 and fell to the fifth seed in the Western Conference in the playoffs. The Grizzlies are coming off a five-game series win over the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round.

Here’s the schedule for the series:

In this comprehensive Western Conference Semifinals preview, we will discuss the regular season meetings between the Warriors and the Grizzlies, the key matchups in this series, keys for each team to win the series, and a prediction of the result of the series.

We’ll start off this preview by examining their regular season matchups.

Next: Regular Season Meetings