Memphis wasn't supposed to have a chance. Mike Conley wasn't supposed to play, first-off. He had a metal plate inserted into his face last week. Without Conley, no one could slow Steph Curry. The Warriors never lose in Oracle. The Splash Brothers never miss, no matter their shot selection. No one controls the flow of the game for Golden State. Memphis didn't have shooters, or smart passers, they didn't play as pretty as the Warriors or as fast, or as loose.
It was supposed to be over, many predicted a sweep.
A five-game loss is still on the table for Memphis, but the same can be said for Golden State after their 97-90 loss in Game 2. The Warriors looked sluggish, frustrated, exhausted, and sloppy. They hoisted contested threes, assuming they'd go down. They moved the ball, only to find Grizzlies defenders jumping the route. They tried to out-physical Memphis, and that didn't work. They couldn't run. They couldn't splash. And in the end, Steph Curry's night ended after he hoisted an airball just hours after he hoisted the MVP trophy in front of a once-raucuous crowd that was headed to the exits early.
1-1, we've got a series. Here's what you need to know about Grizzlies-Warriors Game 2.
1. MICHAEL ALEX CONLEY JUNIOR: It was one game and there was a lot of noise, missed Warriors shots, a fuzzy whistle that did not end up on the Warriors side a lot of the time, uncharacteristic sloppiness from Golden State.
But the story should be, without question, the unbelievable sports heroics of Mike Conley. The Memphis point guard who suffered a fractured face ten days ago made his return, and dropped 22 points on 8-of-12 shooting, nailing key shot after key shot, floater after floater. Meanwhile, Steph Curry had 19 points on 19 shots, as Conley and Tony Allen's combined efforts really put the clamp down on his efforts.
Conley is Memphis' most important player. Zach Randolph is their soul, Tony Allen is their spiritual leader, Marc Gasol is their best player. But Conley is the one that makes everything function, the one who runs the offense and finds a quality shot, who steadies the team when things get out of control and keeps the tempo. For him to produce in a game in which the Warriors dared him to beat them with one eye, and to do it so efficiently for a team that struggles with efficiency, was a big part of the difference.
Just an awe-inspiring effort from a guy with a broken face, a bad foot, and even a calf cramp later. Held together with duct tape, Mike Conley put the Grit in the Grind in Game 2.
2. SOMETIMES IT'S NOT EASY: The Warriors have had it easy. The regular season was easy. They stayed healthy for the most part. They got open looks and whipped the ball around and shot off-balance threes and splashed all over. Even the huge comeback agains the Pelicans was a game in which they simply adjusted their approach and made the comeback look effortless.
This was not easy. For the first time, a team was challenging everything. Memphis completely flipped the formula for the Warriors. The Warriors had more uncontested shots than contested shots in Game 1. In Game 2, there was a huge disparity, 52-22, in contested vs. uncontested shots. Memphis challenged everything, jumped rotation routes, and challenged passing lanes, forcing 20 turnovers.
The Warriors were sloppy, but they were also caught off guard by how physical this game was, how much everything was a struggle, how it wasn't easy. The Pelicans were a fun team that had some matchup tricks. This is the playoffs. And it is not easy. Golden State can comfort themselves with the fact they missed shots they can make (Draymond Green and Klay Thompson were 2-of-11 on uncontested shots) and made errors they can control (20 turnovers). But if they wanted to find out what they're made of, they're going to get their chance. They can still win this series, even in five games. But it won't be easy.
3. I'M SORRY SIR, WHICH TEAM?
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