It was a thrilling opening that lived up to the hype for this first round matchup between the Golden State Warriors and Memphis Grizzlies.
It all came down to a frenzied final few minutes with loose balls, physical attacks on the rim and dazzling ball-handling to give the Warriors a victory on the slimmest of margins, 117-116.
The Golden State Warriors escaped by the skin of their teeth in Game 1 against the Memphis Grizzlies. Where does this leave us for Game 2?
Memphis did not hold any punches. Their 6’3″ bolt of lightning, Ja Morant, scored 34 points, dished 10 assists and grabbed 9 rebounds in a near triple-double performance. His sidekick, Jaren Jackson Jr., lit up the Warriors for 33 points and a barrage of 3-pointers.
Even so, the Dubs prevailed. A Klay Thompson 3-pointer gave Golden State the lead for good before a chaotic final minute concluded with Morant missing a point-blank look at the rim for the win.
What did the Warriors learn from this Game 1 victory? Let’s find out.