Golden State Warriors vs. Memphis Grizzlies Second Round Preview

Keys for Each Team to Win the Series

Apr 13, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) watches his shot go in against Memphis Grizzlies guard Courtney Lee (5) during the third quarter at Oracle Arena. The Golden State Warriors defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 111-107. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Keys for the Warriors:

1) Push the Pace: When the Warriors force their opponents to play at their pace, they are almost unstoppable. If the Warriors can get into transition like they did against the Pelicans (they averaged 22.5 fast break points against New Orleans, which currently leads all playoff teams), then the Warriors will definitely win this series. The Warriors were able to control the tempo in the last two games they faced the Grizzlies in the regular season, and they won both games. The Warriors can’t let the Grizzlies force them into playing at their slow pace.

2) Splash Brothers Continue Dominance vs. Grizzlies: As mentioned on the last slide, both Thompson and Curry had significant production or a significant impact in the regular season games against the Grizzlies. Both of these players are so important to the Warriors’ overall success, but in this series especially, the Splash Brothers need to keep dominating. The Grizzlies’ backcourt isn’t nearly as lethal as the Splash Brothers, so the Warriors need to take advantage of that.

3) Bench: In their first round matchup with the Pelicans, the Warriors’ bench struggled, which was unusual since they had a deeper bench than the Pelicans do. Shaun Livingston was inconsistent against the Pelicans, Marreese Speights had a rough series defensively, and Andre Iguodala had trouble hitting shots. Leandro Barbosa showed glimpses of brilliance, so we’ll see if he can carry that into this series. If David Lee is fully healthy in the second round, that could provide a boost if Speights continues to struggle. The Warriors’ bench needs to show up more than they did in first round.

Keys for the Grizzlies:

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1) Dominant Dynamic Duo: Gasol and Randolph will be a handful to guard no matter what, but if they win the rebounding battle and shoot at higher rate than they did in first round (Randolph shot just 34.9 percent in the first round, and Gasol shot just 41.8 percent), they could take over games and make it hard for the Warriors to overcome.

2) Courtney Lee and Jeff Green Must Knock Down Threes: With Gasol and Randolph pounding the ball inside, the Grizzlies will need their shooters to spread the floor and knock down threes. With Lee and Green consistently hitting threes, it makes it that much harder to guard Gasol and Randolph, because the perimeter players will be less inclined to help guard them on defense when they have to patrol the three-point line.

3) Mike Conley‘s Health: Conley was injured in Game Three of the Grizzlies’ series against the Blazers, and he suffered multiple facial structures. He had to miss the last two games of the series, and it’s unclear right now when and if he’ll return for the second round. If the doctors say it’s okay, he will find a way to play, even if he’s not 100 percent. Conley gives the Grizzlies the best chance of “containing” Curry.

Next: Prediction