Warriors overcome dreadful shooting display in Game 4 win

If the second half of Game 3 was a display of the Golden State Warriors’ optimal offensive capacity, the first half of Game 4 was nothing short of the opposite.

After a slow, turnover-prone start to Game 3, the Warriors had produced a mesmerizing offensive performance that culminated in 116 points across the final 36 minutes. For those who watched that, then sat agonizingly through the first half of Game 4, you’d scarcely believe it was the same team.

The Warriors overcame a horrific shooting display in game four against the Grizzlies, overcoming a final quarter double-digit deficit to claim a 101-98 win.

The Warriors missed their first 15 three-point attempts, eventually finishing the first half 2-for-20 from beyond the arc (10%). Combined with some sloppy ball movement that resulted in 11 turnovers, Golden State went to the half with a paltry 38 points.

Fortunately for them, the Grizzlies weren’t much better. With superstar point guard Ja Morant sidelined with a knee injury, Memphis too struggled offensively, making for a night of unwatchable first-half basketball.

For all the Warriors’ struggles, they went in with just a three-point deficit at 41-38. That in itself was a cause for optimism – surely, at some point, they’d have to find some resemblance of offensive rhythm.

That did come. Eventually. But not before more Warrior issues had Memphis on the brink of tying the series at 2-2.

Sure, there was a very slight uptick in offensive production during the third, but the Grizzlies matched it, with a Desmond Bane buzzer-beating three-point prayer giving them a seven-point lead with a quarter to play.

The outlook appeared even worse when a pair of Jaren Jackson Jr. free throws gave the Grizzlies a game-high 12-point lead early in the fourth. But the Warriors finally, after Stephen Curry re-entered with 8:37 left, found the shot-making that had been alluding them till that point.

Curry finished with 18 of the Warriors’ final 25 points.

Despite this, the game still retained its grind-it-out feel. Memphis held their lead, one they’d had since the opening play of the game, until 45 seconds remaining when Curry sunk two free throws following a Dillon Brooks foul on the drive.

Draymond Green forced a missed floater from Jackson on the ensuing possession, with Bane’s putback layup disallowed after his push on Curry was rightfully called a loose ball foul. Following four more calm Curry free throws, split by a layup from Brooks, Jackson’s game-tying three-point attempt was shut out by some classic Green defense.

Golden State’s 39-point fourth-quarter catapulted them to a win in a game the Grizzlies had led for 47 minutes. The fact they passed 100 points was almost incredible given the state of the game for so long, and the shooting numbers still don’t add up favorably whatsoever.

The Warriors made 36 of their 90 field goal attempts (40%) and just nine of their 37 three-pointers (24.3%). Those latter numbers were inflated by the shooting of Otto Porter Jr. who knocked down four of his six attempts from beyond the arc. Klay Thompson (0-for-7), Andrew Wiggins (1-for-5), and Jordan Poole (0-for-3) combined for 1-for-15 from downtown on the night.

The Warriors got out of jail, and they’ll be happy they did as it provides them with a comfortable 3-1 lead in the series. Still, they’ll be the first to acknowledge the ugliness of that performance. It wasn’t near championship worthy, yet their championship experience did count for plenty down the stretch.

The team heads back to Memphis for game five on Wednesday, with Memphis sweating on the status of their star point guard.