The Golden State Warriors get their first home game of the season Friday night, and the setup is pretty simple: they’re trying to bounce back after a lopsided road loss, while the Memphis Grizzlies arrive off a big opening-night win.
Golden State dropped its season opener 127-105 at the Lakers on Wednesday, with Steph Curry carrying the offense with 23 points. No other Warrior got past 14.
Memphis, meanwhile, took care of business at home, beating Utah 123-103 and cashing as an 11.5-point favorite. Ty Jerome was the headline there, erupting for a career-high 45 points.
This matchup has leaned heavily toward the Warriors lately. Golden State has won the last six meetings with Memphis, and that sweep includes all three games between the teams last season.
Curry is the obvious name to watch again, especially in the home opener. He went for 23 points on 7 of 15 shooting, including 2 of 7 from three, in the opener, and he’ll need more help this time around. Still, he’s the kind of scorer who can turn around quickly, and his scoring props deserve a look.
The home/road split also points toward Golden State getting a lift here. Last season, the Warriors went 22-19 at home and 15-26 away, while Memphis posted 13 home wins compared to 11 on the road.
Jerome’s career night is tough to expect twice in a row, and the Warriors should get a better showing from the players around Curry in front of their home crowd. The moneyline is the safer route, but Golden State looks capable of covering.
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