On Saturday night, the Warriors will face a depleted Grizzlies team and if they’re serious about making National Basketball Association history, then they can’t take their foot off the pedal and have to come out with a playoff intensity right away. Join The Roar from 10:00am (AEST) for live score updates.
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The Warriors first goal before this season is to win another title. Still, he’s not enamored with the fact San Antonio has won 48 straight regular-season games at home dating to last season.
The Grizzlies have been completely decimated by injuries this season. While the Grizzlies are running out a roster of misfits, they can surprise teams and the Warriors have to be prepared for the physicality.
Memphis is without Marc Gasol and probably Mike Conley for the remainder of the season. Yet it’s nice to have Speights as a tag-team partner on one of the NBA’s more physical big men.
Zach Randolph has averaged over 20 points per game in the last ten games and has kept the Grizzles ticking.
Missing Bogut, the Warriors could start Festus Ezeli. Curry, Thompson, and Green have only missed a total of six games all season and losing anyone from that trio would put Golden State’s chances of repeating in jeopardy. They have to focus on the Grizzlies and they have to focus on putting up a lot of points.
Kerr added no one will play extensive minutes.
They still have Tony Allen, the man Kobe Bryant describes as the best defender he’s ever faced, but he’ll most likely have his hands full with Klay Thompson – the man is only human after all.
Those numbers are not to say that the Spurs can’t be toppled at home, but ultimately, the degree of difficulty in winning those remaining two games will depend significantly on what’s at stake for the opponent – and whether Spurs coach Gregg Popovich even cares enough about setting the record to bother playing his own players.
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But they’ve struggled lately, with the injuries really taking their toll, Golden State are fired up and should be too strong here and get win number 71.
