Golden State is still offering Grizzlies skin!

In the absence of Stephen Curry and Andrew Wiggins, Jordan Poole takes over. His 17 points lead the Warriors, while Ja Morant and Dillon Brooks attack the circle and keep Memphis in touch (33-29).

Despite the limited rotation, Golden State takes home the point. Anthony Lamb is 3-of-3 from distance and Jordan Poole draws Jaren Jackson Jr.’s third personal foul as he ends a 19-7 run that puts Memphis up -15 (52-37). Ja Morant then scored 11 straight points to spark his team, but the Warriors held on before ending the half with a 3-pointer and a technical foul that put Memphis at -9 to -5 (59-54).

Jaren Jackson Jr. picks up his fourth personal foul on the first possession of the second half to cheer Draymond Green. Klay Thompson and Jordan Poole keep the Warriors in check, but Ja Morant leads the Grizzlies to within one possession (80-77). Steve Kerr then turns on Ty Jerome and the back end scores 8 points and goes on a 17-2 run to put Golden State at +15 (99-84).

With the game in hand, the Warriors see Jordan Poole ejected for his second technical foul. Despite the absence of their first starter, Steve Kerr’s men continue to be able to give themselves a nice Christmas present and reconnect with victory thanks to the skill of Klay Thompson.

WHAT TO REMEMBER

– A near perfect game from the Warriors. The Warriors needed a nearly perfect game to beat Memphis without Stephen Curry and Andrew Wick, and they did. Steve Kerr was able to count on Jordan Poole of the great days, exemplary Draymond Green (13 assists, 11 rebounds), the awakening of Klay Thompson at the best moment and the general contribution of the bench. The Warriors also finished the game shooting 41% from 3!

– Jaren Jackson Jr. and Dillon Brooks hunt each other down. Key elements of the Grizzlies defense, both picked up two quick fouls. JJJ never played more than 3 consecutive minutes after that, getting targeted by the Warriors and Draymond Green. He chained fouls and played just 21 minutes. Dillon Brooks started with a bang, but also fell victim to his intensity, leaving Ja Morant alone against everyone.

– Andrew Wiggins is still missing. Tip to bounce back tonight, Andrew Wiggins finally missed his tenth game in a row. The decision was taken by the medical staff and communicated by Steve Kerr before the meeting. “His recovery is taking longer than expected, but you have to be careful with the supplements. If he comes back too soon and aggravates his injury, we could lose him for a month, so we prefer to give him the time he needs.” With no wiggle room this season, the Warriors can’t be without an All-Star much longer as they hope to bounce back with eight straight home games.

TOPS/FLOPS

✅ Jordan Poole. Facing an aggressive Memphis defense, Jordan Poole wasted five possessions, but played one-on-one with Ja Morant and led the Warriors to victory with 32 points. Only black spot for the leader, his two technical faults could be considered very serious.

✅ Warriors bench. 14 points for Ty Jerome, 10 for Moses Moody, 11 for Anthony Lamb, 7 points for Jonathan Kuminga, the young Warriors responded to this pressure game.

✅ Ja Morant. The Grizzlies guard was incredible, finishing with 37 points, 8 assists and 7 rebounds, but he was too lonely to lead his team to victory.

✅ ⛔ Clay Thompson. “Leaping Brother” got off to a slow start, but scored 17 of his 24 points in the second half to hold off the Grizzlies. However, he only managed 8/25 in the innings.

⛔ Jaren Jackson Jr.. As in the playoffs, the young interior ran into foul trouble quickly. He played just 21 minutes and was transparent.

⛔ Second Knives of Memphis. Excluding Ja Morant, the Grizzlies finished the game shooting 37%, including 6/25 for the Desmond Bane-Dillon Brooks duo. It is not enough to hope for victory.

NEXT

Golden State (16-18) : The Warriors continue Tuesday at home against the Hornets

Memphis (20-12): The Grizzlies host the Suns after beating them by 25 points on Friday