Memphis had just enough to silence Oracle Arena and Golden State sans Steph.
By Joe Manganiello
How valuable is Stephen Curry? In ten games with Curry this season, the Warriors are averaging 107.3 points per game, and are 8-2.
In two games without Curry, however, they have suffered: they were held to just 74 points in a loss at the Spurs; and last night’s 81-point effort in an overtime loss at home to Memphis was particularly troubling.
Both the Spurs and the Grizzles are strong defensive teams, true. But keep in mind (A) Tony Allen didn’t play last night for Memphis, leaving them with a limited rotation, (B) Memphis shot 38.6 percent from the field and 25 percent from behind the arc – no team should shoot that poorly and still take a road win inside Oracle Arena, and (C) after winning the first quarter, 26-16, the Warriors scored 18, 13, 18, and 6 (OT) in the remaining periods.
In the end, it was an older but forever opportunistic Tayshaun Prince that drew a key offensive foul, then made back-to-back buckets to put the Grizzles in the driver’s seat. Not Zach Randolph overpowering the Warriors bigs, or Marc Gasol making one too many mid-range jumpers. It wasn’t even Mike Conley. The Warriors let a player who most possessions is the No. 5 option on the floor beat them two possessions in a row to claim the game.
With their countless athletic advantages over Memphis, even without Curry, it was very odd and also disappointing to watch Golden State fail to put Memphis away possession after possession during the fourth quarter and overtime. Last season, Jarrett Jack played huge minutes for this team in the backcourt, with or without Curry. The Warriors don’t have Jack (or anyone like Jack) this season, and it’s evident. Curry’s not going to play every game, and while the Warriors have a roster that can fill the gaps in-game when Curry is on the bench – a few minutes here, a minutes there – it is apparent that the Warriors are a different, much more defective offensive team when Curry isn’t available at all.
Joe Manganiello (@joemags32) is a staff writer for pickinsplinters.com. He was published in the 2013-14 USA Today Sports College Basketball Preview. He studied journalism and cinema at Oswego State University – Peace, love, recycle and ball.
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