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The dogged new look of the Golden State Warriors' front line pulled the teeth right out of the bear's mouth tonight as the Dubs took down their conference semifinals nemesis in front of Vin Diesel and a sell-out crowd at Oracle on Monday night, 119-69. The 50 point stomping was a historic one, as the legend of Stephen Curry and his band of immortals rides on.
Draymond Green and Festus Ezeli worked well together, trading blows with the toughest team in the NBA for the best of three quarters with their rugged rebounding and collapsing defense in the paint. Marc Gasol was surrounded and contained while Zach Randolph (2-for-9 FG's) could never get off. The Warriors closed out on shooters, blitzed the paint, and kept Memphis ice cold from behind the arc (3-for-23 3pt). The entire starting squad of the Grizzlies finished 11-for-46 while Golden State hit 51% of their own (43-for-84 FG's)
The Grizz wanted to slow the game down and wear the Warriors out with physicality. But it was the defense of the Warriors that dictated the pace of the game. Forced shots and misses fueled fast breaks that set the table for a dominant third quarter in which the Warriors simply skyrocketed out of sight against arguably one of the top 5 teams in the NBA.
The third quarter belonged to Curry. He went 7-for-8, scoring 21 of his 30 points and putting Memphis away for good.
Klay Thompson continues to heat up with another efficient shooting night, going 6-for-11 and logging a loud 14 points.
Andre Iguodala's perimeter defense completely disrupted the passing game. He made plays passing the ball and contesting shots. After throwing down a right hand tomahawk from a Barnes delivery, Iguodala returned the favor with a rangy lob to Harrison that shook the whole arena and fueled an embarrassing run.
Draymond finished with a +41 rating while nearly posting a triple double with 11 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists, and an impressive 3 blocks. Green ignited the break after pulling defensive boards and met Zach's post moves with his chest. The days of Randolph torching the Warriors are finished.
Ezeli added his first double-double of the season with a very efficient, intense game. He managed his fouls and gave the Warriors a brutal edge in the paint. When he and Draymond Green are paired together, they combine for a meanness that few other teams in the association can match...