The Memphis Grizzlies survived a wild one in Golden State, closing on a 17-0 burst to beat the Warriors 111-108 and open their four-game road trip with a statement finish. The last-minute surge was powered by Cam Boozer, Zach Edey and Ty Jerome, with Boozer delivering the biggest shot of the night.
After struggling through a 2-for-15 debut from the field, Boozer flipped the script when it mattered most. He pushed Memphis in front with a runner over Brandin Podziemski and 20.1 seconds left, then finished with 25 points, 13 rebounds and 6 assists in 37 minutes. His playmaking showed up all night, especially when he worked in tandem with Jerome in actions that used Jerome as both screener and hub.
Jerome, meanwhile, was never going to repeat his 45-point opener, but he still kept Memphis afloat with tough shot-making and steady creation. He scored 28 points on 11-for-22 shooting and added 5 assists, with his passing looking even sharper than the box score suggests. The connection with Boozer stood out, too.
Edey’s impact was a different kind of story. His numbers were modest - just 8 points - but Memphis was a staggering +82.4 in net rating with him on the floor, the best mark on the team. Once again, he changed the feel of the game in a way that didn’t show up in the basic stat line.
The Grizzlies also had to fight through some familiar issues. An all-bench lineup stayed in the game too long, and Golden State took advantage with an 8-0 run in the middle of the fourth against Scotty Pippen Jr., Cam Spencer, Jerami Grant, Isaiah Stewart and Quentin Post. That unit also had trouble generating clean offense, something that had already shown up on opening night against Utah.
Stewart made his Grizzlies debut after sitting out the opener with the ankle injury he suffered in the preseason. He brought the defensive presence Memphis expected, posting a team-high 123.5 defensive rating, but his offense lagged behind with an 80.6 offensive rating and a team-low -42.9 net rating. Given that this was his first game in the system with new teammates, some adjustment makes sense.
Memphis’ sloppiness nearly made the finish more complicated than it needed to be. The Grizzlies turned it over 25 times, with several giveaways coming on passes that never should have been forced. Even so, they offset plenty of that damage by forcing 19 Golden State turnovers.
The game also got chippy. Memphis fouled Golden State 30 times, and not all of them were necessary - too many came from reaching instead of staying in front and moving their feet.
The tension rose in a few different spots, including a sequence after Jerome celebrated an and-one with colorful language. Jerome and Yaxel Lendeborg were hit with technical fouls after review, while Draymond Green and Stewart received double technicals in the first half.
In Other News...
Luka Drama Just Pulled The Grizzlies Into A Bigger NBA Debate
A rookies first NBA night usually comes with a learning curve, but Yaxel Lendeborg turned his postgame podium into something much bigger after Golden States debut matchup. The Warriors first-year player took aim at Luka Doncic in a way that immediately rippled beyond one game, with veterans around him backing the tone of his comments and the leagues usual respect the veterans conversation suddenly getting louder.
For Memphis, the larger point is less about the fireworks and more about the kind of edge that can change how a young player is viewed around the league. Lendeborg acknowledged the reaction could have been too much, but he also made clear he is not interested in sanding down his personality, which keeps this from being just another fleeting rookie quote and turns it into a test of how far a player can push before the backlash becomes part of the story. [Read more 🡒]
Grizzlies Win Clearly Got Under The Warriors Skin
Golden State had this one in hand late before Memphis flipped it, turning a 12-point fourth-quarter cushion into a 111-108 loss that left the Warriors staring at an 0-2 start. Stephen Curry again carried the scoring load with 24 points, but the bigger story was the frustration around the way the game unraveled, with the Warriors clearly bothered by how the final stretch was handled.
The early season concern now is bigger than one frustrating night, because the schedule already turns to Phoenix next. Curry said after the game the Warriors have to sort through their struggles, and the outlook for that matchup is already clouded by the possibility he sits out, leaving Golden State to answer some uncomfortable questions before the trip even gets underway. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Suddenly Face Another Problem Grizzlies Fans Will Notice
Golden State is heading into its next game in rough shape, and that is the kind of injury report Memphis fans will be watching closely. The Warriors already know they will be without a major chunk of their rotation because of injuries and recovery management, while the Suns enter with most of their roster available aside from Oso Ighodaro and Mark Williams, with Luke Kennard listed as questionable.
For a Grizzlies team trying to track the Western Conference race, the wrinkle is the state of the Warriors availability, which keeps shifting the outlook around any matchup involving them. Draymond Green remains doubtful, and Charles Bassey is questionable, leaving Golden State with even more uncertainty on top of the absences it has already confirmed. [Read more 🡒]