Game Preview: Warriors at Grizzlies - 3/19/21

DUBS MOSEY TO MEMPHIS FOR BACK-TO-BACK SET
After tipping off the squad’s three-game road trip with a win over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday, the Warriors head to Memphis where they will play back-to-back games against the Grizzlies starting Friday night. This will be the first times the clubs meet in over a calendar year, having not played each other since Jan. 12, 2020. The Grizzlies have won the last two contests, but the Dubs enter these next games with a far different starting lineup as Draymond Green was the only Warriors starter from those games who returned to the 2020-21 roster.

LAST TIME OUT
Jordan Poole finished his night with 23 points and a career-best six made treys in the Dubs’ 108-94 win over the Houston Rockets. » Full Game Recap

LAST GAME'S STARTERS
GSW: Stephen Curry, Kelly Oubre Jr., Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins and Kevon Looney

MEM: Ja Morant, Grayson Allen, Dillon Brooks, Kyle Anderson and Jonas Valanciunas

INJURY & ROSTER NOTES
GSW: Stephen Curry (tailbone contusion) and Kelly Oubre Jr. (right foot sprain) are doubtful. Eric Paschall (Health and Safety Protocols), James Wiseman (Health and Safety Protocols), Marquese Chriss (ankle) and Klay Thompson (Achilles rehab) are out. Team Notes

MEM: Jaren Jackson Jr. (left knee meniscus surgery rehab) is out. Team Notes

MANNION MAKING MOVES IN MARCH
Since returning to the team after playing with the G League’s Santa Cruz Warriors, rookie Nico Mannion has quietly put together a productive March. In five games, the 48th overall pick has logged 8.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 21 minutes of action. Though some questioned his shooting after a down year at the University of Arizona in his lone NCAA season, Mannion has splashed 3-pointers at a rate of 46.7 percent from beyond the arc this month. Meanwhile on defense he has been a proven pest and has averaged a steal per game over his last five contests. Head Coach Steve Kerr has enjoyed watching Mannion. “He’s always going to play hard and that’s the one thing with Nico, he’s always going to compete and get after it defensively and I thought he did some good things,” Coach Kerr said following Monday’s loss to the Lakers.

MEMPHIS SCOUTING REPORT
It is no secret what the Memphis Grizzlies’ plan of attack is: they will look for shots in and around the paint. The team leads the NBA in 2-point shots attempted and made, while also being among the bottom three clubs in 3-pointers taken and splashed. Key to this is the interior game of center Jonas Valanciunas who averages 16.2 points and 11.9 rebounds, along with the driving and dishing of point guard Ja Morant, who leads the team with both 19.6 points and 7.6 assists. The Grizzlies are coming off a grind-it-out 89-85 victory over the Miami Heat at home on Wednesday night, but they have still lost three of their last five games and are 9-12 at home. However, two of their recent losses were decided by one point, which could prove to be big down the stretch as the Warriors and Grizzlies are currently in ninth and 10th place in the West, separated by one game in the standings.