Maybe the two timelines of the Golden State Warriors just needed more time to converge. On Monday against the Memphis Grizzlies, 22-year-old Brandin Podziemski and 23-year-olds Jonathan Kuminga and Moses
Moody combined for 68 points in a 131-118 win.
Podziemski shot 5-for-7 on three-pointers and dished out six assists on his way to 23 points without a single turnover. Kuminga continued his hot start as a member of the starting lineup with 25 points and hit the boards for 10 rebounds. JK is averaging 18 points and eight rebounds for the season, which makes his contract this summer look like a steal.
Moody did most of his damage from behind the arc, also shooting 5-for-7 from downtown. Not only that, he got fouled on another three-point shot and sank all three of his free throws, meaning 18 of his 20 points came from either his outside shooting or its threat.
The story after the game should be the performance of the young players, or the efficiency of the Warriors offense, after they shot 44.2% from three-point range and 53% overall, with 36 assists on their 44 baskets. But we may once again have to talk about Draymond Green’s temper, after he got called for a flagrant foul for swiping down with one arm and pulling down Santi Aldama by the neck with the other, then got a technical for telling Jaren Jackson, Jr. to shut up in a decidedly R-rated way.
It was clearly a flagrant foul, and very likely inspired by Green’s embarrassment after losing the ball without being touched, just spooked by the mere presence of Ja Morant lurking. He seemingly thought better of it after grabbing Aldama, grabbing him by the waist so he wouldn’t crash to the floor. It was reminiscent of Green’s flagrant foul from last year’s playoffs, when Tari Eason swiped the ball from Green and Green essentially tackled him and accidentally-on-purpose kicked Eason’s head.
But ball didn’t lie, or ball just didn’t want to get into it with Draymond. Aldama missed both his free throws, Green skipped around the key in celebration, and Moody stole the ball from Aldama on the next play, scoring the next six Warriors points in an 8-0 Dubs run. For the quarter, Moody had 12 points, plus a blocked shot that was also on Aldama, who finished with 14 points and three steals.
Green eventually fouled out with 7:32 left in the 4th quarter and the Warriors comfortably ahead by 21 points. He finished with seven points, 10 assists, six fouls, four rebounds, and four turnovers. He was +18 on the night, just edging out Podziemski and Steph Curry, who were +17.
Curry had a quietly efficient night for the Warriors. He was the focus on the Grizzlies defense and ended up scoring 16 points on only 11 shots, going 4-for-9 from three-point range.
The Warriors came out hot in the first quarter, putting up 25 points in the game’s first six minutes, putting them on pace for a 200-point game. They made their first five shots and 10 of their first 14 — and the 15th shot was rebounded by Kuminga and turned into a Quinten Post dunk. Curry had the most spectacular play, sinking his second three past two leaping Grizzlies.
As they often do, the Warriors got sloppy with a lead, committing four turnovers in the second half of the quarter, missing layups and free throws. By the end of the quarter Memphis led, 37-36.
The second quarter featured an unexpected scoring duel between Jimmy Butler and Cam “Pat’s Brother” Spencer, who traded a pair of three-pointers each early in the quarter, though Jimmy’s first was three the hard way when Spencer fouled him for an and-one.
With the Warriors trailing 49-45, Steve Kerr pushed the right buttons by inserting Curry, Buddy Hield, Gui Santos, and rookie Will Richard into the game to play with Jonathan Kuminga. That group went on an 11-0 run that gave the Warriors new life. By going 6-for-8 on free throws in the foul-heavy end of the first half, they took a 65-61 lead into the locker room.
After halftime, Moody couldn’t miss and the Grizzlies couldn’t stop fouling, sending the Warriors to the line to shoot 9-for-9 for the quarter. When the dust settled, the Warriors had a 101-85 lead, which guarantees victory according to Lawler’s Law. It still took threes from Moody, Podz, and Draymond to out the game away in the final quarter, with a Kuminga dunk providing the exclamation point — with poor Aldama the innocent bystander.
All in all, a successful game for the Warriors. They kept the older starters’ minutes under 31 minutes in advance of Tuesday’s battle with the Aspiration Clippers — Al Horford sat out the front end of this back-to-back. Draymond made a reckless play but it was also just a normal flagrant foul without any kicking or punching. Podziemski’s three-point shot looked great, as did Moody’s, and Post blocked two shots.
Professional arborist Kawhi Leonard is playing well, the Clippers have an imposing front court of Brook Lopez and Ivicia Zubac to deal with, and the Chase Center gets to boo one-year Warrior Chris Paul again. What more could you ask for, besides Draymond avoiding an ejection?
