Player grades: Warriors vs. Grizzlies Game 2

Well that was a game that had it all. There was the good: drama, intensity, suspense, highlights. And there was the bad: a severe injury, and a loss.

And in the end, the Memphis Grizzlies beat the Golden State Warriors 106-101 to even the series and move things back to San Francisco.

It took a Herculean effort by Ja Morant, and the Dubs shooting horribly — they made just seven of 38 attempts from distance. And unfortunately it also took the fracturing of Gary Payton II’s elbow ... which might keep him out until next season.

I’ll try to give thorough grades (weighted for our expectations of each player, as always), but they might be short. That game took a lot out of everyone.

Note: League-average true-shooting percentage (TS) was 56.6% this season.

Draymond Green

32 minutes, 6 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 block, 4 turnovers, 5 fouls, 3-for-5 shooting, 0-for-1 threes, 60.0% TS, -10

Dray showed off his toughness in this game when he took an elbow to the face, got stitches, returned with a visibly swollen face, and then brushed it off post-game. He also played some exceptional defense (shocker, I know), and was a big part of Jaren Jackson Jr. shooting just 3-for-14.

But the turnovers are really starting to hurt the Warriors, as is the stagnancy on offense. He helps the offense function, but needs to find ways to be more active. When he is, great things happen.

Grade: B+

Post-game bonus: Led the team in rebounds.

Andrew Wiggins

38 minutes, 16 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 3 turnovers, 3 fouls, 6-for-16 shooting, 1-for-7 threes, 3-for-4 free throws, 45.1% TS, +3

A rough offensive day for Wiggins, who couldn’t buy a basket. He did, however, have the biggest highlight of the game, and hopefully it will encourage him to spend more time attacking the rim.

Wiggins continued his good rebounding, but other than that, there wasn’t much to like about this game of his.

Grade: C

Steph Curry

39 minutes, 27 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists, 1 steal, 5 turnovers, 1 foul, 11-for-25 shooting, 3-for-11 threes, 2-for-2 free throws, 52.2% TS, -11

This is mostly a coincidence, but Curry has had the Warriors worst plus/minus in both games this series, which is a very odd thing to witness.

Steph was off his rhythm a little bit in this one, though he had some moments of brilliance.

He played angry, which is always fun, but he also missed some open looks. Nothing about his performance was concerning ... it was just cold, which was the case for most of the team.

Hell of a rebounding performance though.

Grade: B-

Post-game bonus: Led the team in points and assists, worst plus/minus on the team.

Klay Thompson

41 minutes, 12 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, 1 turnover, 2 fouls, 5-for-19 shooting, 2-for-12 threes, 31.6% TS, -9

All I’m gonna say is this: Klay has been ice cold in the first two games of this series, and I’m fully expecting a monster game from him when this shifts back to San Francisco this weekend.

Grade: D+

Gary Payton II

3 minutes, 1 point, 1-for-2 free throws, 56.8% TS, -7

That might have been the last that we see of GPII this year, and I’m heartbroken.

Grade: Incomplete/sad emoji

Jonathan Kuminga

14 minutes, 9 points, 5 rebounds, 3-for-7 shooting, 3-for-3 free throws, 54.1% TS, 0 plus/minus

Kuminga continues to provide interesting looks in short bursts. His athleticism is a huge positive in this series, though his defense is nearly as big of a negative.

Grade: B

Otto Porter Jr.

21 minutes, 4 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 turnover, 3 fouls, 1-for-4 shooting, 0-for-1 threes, 2-for-2 free throws, 41.0% TS, +17

There’s only so much credit you can give Porter for this, but ... my goodness the Warriors performed well when he was on the court. And that really has been a trend lately.

The defense was on full display in the second half, when Porter played a massive role in the Dubs overcoming a double-digit deficit and taking a lead. He was one of the most active players on the team, being disruptive in passing lanes and on the glass.

Grade: A-

Post-game bonus: Led the team in plus/minus

Juan Toscano-Anderson

2 seconds, 0 points, -2

A second-straight game of JTA getting on the court for just one defensive possession.

Grade: Incomplete

Kevon Looney

9 minutes, 4 points, 4 rebounds, 1 foul, 2-for-2 shooting, 0-for-2 free throws, 69.4% TS, -3

With Green not getting ejected, Looney didn’t play much of a role. That might change if Steven Adams returns for Memphis, but we’ll see.

Looney did well when he was on the court though.

Grade: B+

Damion Lee

8 minutes, 2 points, 1 rebound, 1 turnover, 1-for-1 shooting, 100.0% TS, -5

It was nice to see Lee, who has been out of the rotation for a while, get a little bit of run. He held his own, even if it wasn’t particularly noteworthy.

Grade: B

Jordan Poole

34 minutes, 20 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 turnovers, 5 fouls, 8-for-16 shooting, 1-for-6 threes, 3-for-3 free throws, 57.7% TS, +2

This seems as good a place as any to say that I doubt that Poole, Curry, Thompson, and Wiggins combine to shoot 7-for-36 from distance again in this series, and almost winning on the road despite that is pretty darn impressive.

The Grizzlies still don’t have much of an answer for JP, short of not guarding the Splash Brothers, which they’re justifiably unwilling to do.

Grade: B+

Tuesday’s DNPs: Nemanja Bjelica, Moses Moody

Tuesday’s inactives: Andre Iguodala, James Wiseman