NBA Play-In Tournament: Memphis Grizzlies, Golden State Warriors set to battle for final West playoff spot
In the NBA Play-In Tournament finale, the Golden State Warriors and Memphis Grizzlies are set to battle for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
After two blowouts in the first two opening games of the Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament, the Western Conference side of the bracket offered quite entertaining matchups. In the end, it was the Memphis Grizzlies that eliminated the San Antonio Spurs from playoff contention and the Los Angeles Lakers that secured the 7th seed with a win over the Golden State Warriors, sending them to a winner-take-all matchup.
The winner between the Grizzlies and Warriors will earn the 8th and final playoff spot in the West.
The Warriors enter the game as the grizzled veterans, who are simply trying to make the playoffs to create some chaos at the top, while the Grizzlies are looking to make the playoffs for the first time in four years. A playoff appearance this season would also give Memphis some momentum heading into the postseason, no matter what happens in a first-round series matchup against the Utah Jazz.
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Both teams would love a win and perhaps deserve a spot in the playoffs but it’s simply not going to happen.
A key for the Grizzlies heading into the NBA Play-In Tournament finale
If the Grizzlies are going to earn the final playoff in the West, they’re going to need a strong defensive effort from Ja Morant and Dillon Brooks. They’re also going to need Jonas Valanciunas to continue on the offensive tear that he was on against the Spurs.
Memphis didn’t have great success against the Warriors this season, going 1-2 against them, but they won’t be overmatched by any means. The Grizzlies may not have as much name-recognition talent as the Warriors, but they have the means to knock them off in a one-game sample.
Limited Golden State’s 3-ball will be vital. Especially considering that it’s not in the Grizzlies’ DNA to match them on that front. Memphis will have to play its best game of the season, considering we should expect a big performance from the Warriors’ big names.
Either way, it should be a fun night.
A key for the Warriors heading into the NBA Play-In Tournament finale
I believe that the general thought is that if the Warriors simply play up to their capability, they should beat the Grizzlies and secure the 8th seed in the West. In order to do that, they’re going to need Stephen Curry to be Stephen Curry – as he has for what feels like the last two months of the season.
This is a team that is currently playing at a high level right now and, quite frankly, should probably have beaten the Lakers in their opening matchup of the play-in. Andrew Wiggins has emerged as the team’s second option on the offensive end and is coming off a solid performance against the Lakers in which he finished with 21 points on 56 percent shooting from the field.
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If both Wiggins and Curry can continue to play at the level they’ve been playing at offensively, the Warriors should have enough to clinch their spot in the playoffs.