The Grizzlies opened the presents under their trees Sunday morning tied for the best record in the Western Conference. Then in their first ever Christmas Day game as a franchise, they ran into the Ghosts of Playoffs Past.
In the Chase Center, where the Warriors ended Memphis’ season last May, Golden State (16-18) ran away with a convincing 123-109 win.
In a chippy game that featured seven technical fouls, trash talk, physical play and passionate moments, the Warriors reminded the Grizzlies why they’re the defending champions.
Jordan Poole dropped 32 points in 29 minutes before the first ejection of his career, and the Warriors made 19 3s to the Grizzlies’ nine. Contributions came from all over GSW’s roster, which has been rare this season.
Here are three takeaways from Golden State’s Christmas Day win over the Grizzlies.
These teams actually do not like each other
A sparknotes version of the Warriors-Grizzlies rivalry includes a Twitter spat between Ja Morant and Draymond Green, “broke the code” fouls from Jordan Poole and Dillon Brooks, Klay Thompson holding onto a regular season loss even after winning the title — “freakin’ bum.”
Christmas was the teams’ first meeting since Golden State eliminated Memphis in the Western Conference Semifinals. After that Game 6 GSW win, Brooks said: “They know we’re going to come every single year. We’re young and they’re getting old.”
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said pregame that the Warriors don’t need bulletin board material for extra motivation. But it’s clear the Warriors keep receipts.
Poole, whose foul against Morant knocked the star point guard out of the postseason, was matched up with the fiery Brooks on both ends. After the first of consecutive 3-pointers over Brooks, Poole jawed with him the entire backpedal to the other end of the court. When Brooks responded with a 3 of his own, he appeared to instigate Warriors owner Joe Lacob and fans around him in the front row.
When Brooks missed a technical foul shot — earned by Draymond Green from the bench — Green shot up from his seat and waved his hands in elation. When Brooks got whistled for a traveling violation in the second quarter, Thompson got up from the bench to let him hear about it.
After drawing an offensive foul, Grene clapped emphatically and let out two primal screams while walking up the court. Then after another stop, he jogged by the Warriors bench with a clenched fist.
Poole earned two technical fouls. Green earned one. Kerr and Jonathan Kuminga also picked up techs. And Klay had the best one.
As the game got out of hand in the fourth quarter, Thompson nailed a shot over Brooks, who fell to the court. Thompson galloped by Brooks to taunt him for the most “get your money’s worth” T of the year.
The Warriors and Grizzlies share a genuine distaste that has become rare in the league.
Memphis is a true, worthy rival for Golden State, perhaps unlike any Western Conference foe in the current dynastic era.
But if the Grizzlies ever had real estate, it looks like they were renting.
The Poole-Brooks matchup
There were obvious subplots emanating between Jordan Poole and Dillon Brooks, but the matchup on the court was just as interesting to follow.
Poole guarded Brooks for most of the game, and vice versa. From the jump, Poole went after him. A deep stepback 2 on Golden State’s first possession set a baseline for expectations.
Poole canned 3 after 3 over Brooks’ contests. Brooks tried to play physical with Poole off the ball, but Poole often slithered away with him by moving continuously and using screens. At one point, Stephen Curry was coaching up Poole on the sidelines; it sure looked like he’d enrolled in Curry 101.
The scoring came in breathtaking bursts. Poole dropped 17 in the first quarter and 12 more in the third. He danced after an and-1 floater in the lane and hyped up the Chase Center Crowd when his step-through push shot capped an 11-0 Warriors run.
Brooks, on the other side, labored through the game. The Warriors limited him to 13 points on 12 shots. He also committed five fouls.
But then, with 9:20 remaining, Poole let the extracurriculars bleed into the court. He picked up his second technical foul of the game, earning an ejection. It didn’t look like much, but he was arguing a play in which he thought Brooks pushed him with his off-arm.
Poole disappeared into the tunnel with the Warriors up 16. He finished with 32 points on 11-for-25 shooting and a sour ending.
Flip the switch
Sunday night’s gift was the third compelling example of the Warriors — despite their very real and very obvious struggles this season — can elevate their game when they need to.
Kerr said that Memphis has been the best team in the West, along with the Nuggets, before the game. They took it to the Grizzlies without Stephen Curry.
Two weeks ago, the Warriors cruised to a 123-107 victory over the Celtics when Boston still had valid “best offense ever” claims.
And in the season-opener, they sent a “we’re not going anywhere” memo to the rest of the league by defeating the Lakers in an all-around trouncing.
Sunday, the Warriors rose to the challenge against their rivals after a 1-5 road trip in which they lost their superstar engine.
Golden State held the Grizzlies, the best rebounding team in the league, in check on the glass. They made sure the free throw battle was competitive, even with technicals from Green, Kerr, Poole and Jonathan Kuminga and some Hack-A-Adams action. They got an eight-point flurry from Ty Jerome, strong minutes from Moses Moody and Jonathan Kuminga and even positive input from James Wiseman.
The Warriors have another gear. Knowing that, some of the early-season panic is less gloomy.