Is it time to push the panic button on the Memphis Grizzlies 2022-2023 campaign? Probably not, because it’s only January, and a lot of basketball is left to play. However, after what transpired last night in San Francisco, it’s safe to say that the Warriors have the Grizzlies’ number. The Warriors went on a 23-11 run late in the fourth quarter to erase the Grizzlies’ 10-point lead.
The result would be Golden State advancing to their 24th win of the season, which puts them at .500. Shooting Guard Jordan Poole sealed it for the Warriors on a last-minute layup with a second left in the fourth quarter. Dating back to last year’s Western Conference semifinal matchup, the Grizzlies are now 1-6 against the Warriors.
The loss was the fourth on their road trip away from FedEx Forum. However, they still reside among the top seeds in the Western Conference playoff picture. Memphis is currently the second seed behind the Denver Nuggets and is only 2.5 games back for the number one spot.
Star point guard Ja Morant finished the night with 29 points and 12 assists. However, Morant could not impact last night’s game without being effective at the free throw. He ended the night by making only 7 of 12 shots from the free-throw line. Morant’s teammate, Desmond Bane, continues to show that’s he back to full strength after having another night of scoring 20-plus points in a game. In last night’s postgame presser, Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins explained the importance of playing like a perennial contender on the road.
“It’s just a rough patch of the season,” Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said. “It happens. So we just got to find our groove. We got to play better on the road. This was one of our best efforts in the four games so far on the road. We got to build on it.” Prior to the “rough patch” the Grizzlies was on an 11-game winning streak. The streak ended on a drama filled Friday night against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Since the loss to L.A. has been a downward spiral for the Grizzlies. Three out of the Grizzlies’ four losses were decided in the fourth quarter. In the 33-point loss to the Kings, many teams would be unable to overcome the onslaught that Sacramento put on Monday night. The biggest takeaway from last night’s 122-120 Grizzlies loss is that whenever a team has Golden State in a corner, they must finish the job completely.
What Lies Ahead?
The Grizzlies now head to the Twin Cities to take on the Minnesota Timberwolves. The matchup against Minnesota will conclude a five-game west coast trip that featured matchups against the Suns, Lakers, Kings, and Warriors. The T-Wolves have won six of their last ten games and reside in the eighth spot regarding the playoff picture. It’s only January, but Memphis’s matchup against Minnesota is a must-win situation.
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