When talking about the Memphis Grizzlies and the Golden State Warriors, the first thought that comes to my mind is how there just can’t two teams more different from each other in this year’s edition of the playoffs. The Warriors led by Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson love to shoot threes and played at the fastest pace in the NBA throughout the year, while the Grizzlies have the best big-men, Zach Randolph, and Marc Gasol, and play at the fourth slowest pace in the league. It’s hard to imagine a series that will offer more entertainment than this one.
The battle of playing styles should be more than interesting, as every team will try as hard as it can to impose its will on the game. It’s not too hard to get the idea – Golden State will try to push the tempo and disrupt Memphis’ defense, while Marc Gasol and company will try to slow down the Warriors backcourt and bang them inside the paint.
The regular season series between the two squads finished in favor of the Warriors, as they were able to win two out of the three games against the Grizzlies. Nevertheless, Golden State has shown signs of weaknesses against teams that love to play in the post, and this could prove to be a big advantage for Memphis. It will be very interesting to see how Draymond Green is going to handle Zach Randolph. Green showed great defense abilities when going against Anthony Davis, but Davis’ style is a lot different than Randolph’s. The Grizzlies power forward loves to play with his back to the rim and is a lot stronger than the Brow. Green was able to get Davis far away from the rim, but it is questionable whether he will be able to do the same with Randolph.
Furthermore, it will be very interesting to see when Mike Conley is going to return to action. He suffered a face injury during the series against the Portland Trail Blazers. The point-guard will be vital, as only he has the ability to guard and pressure Stephen Curry. No disrespect to the other Memphis players, but Conley can make Curry work on defense and also trouble him while he is with the ball in his hands.
In my opinion, the series between the Warriors and the Grizzlies has the potential to reach seven total games. Both teams are very good, and they will surely provide a spectacle for the fans. The way I see it though is that the Warriors will impose their will and win the second round with a 4-2 result.
NBA News: Previewing the Warriors - Grizzlies playoffs series
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