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With their backs against the wall in Game 5 on Wednesday night, the Memphis Grizzlies came out firing and absolutely demolished the lifeless Golden State Warriors to keep this series alive.
Now, they head to the Bay Area hoping to force a Game 7, but it won't be easy. The Dubs will undoubtedly respond after losing by 39 and if the Grizzlies want to push their opponents to the brink, they'll have to do a number of things on Friday in Game 6 without Ja Morant once again.
3 big things Grizzlies must do to force Game 7 vs. Warriors
Play as a collective unit
The Grizzlies came out with tremendous intensity on Wednesday and truly played together as one. Seven different players finished in double-figures, with Desmond Bane, Jaren Jackson, and Tyus Jones all scoring 21 points apiece. The ball movement was stellar all night long, dishing out a mind-boggling 37 assists.
Memphis did a fine job of getting everyone involved and playing unselfish basketball. The only way to beat this Warriors group is to come at them from every single angle. From Jackson to Brandon Clarke, the entire rotation must contribute on Friday. No Ja means playing as a collective unit. It's crucial.
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Keep shooting
The Grizzlies shot the lights out in Game 5, draining 44% of their triples and shooting nearly 50% from the field. Jones, Jackson, and Bane all had four treys each. Give Golden State a taste of their own medicine. Facilitate, find clean looks. The energy will certainly be different on the road, but Memphis can shut up the crowd by getting off to a hot start and sinking shots. Without Morant, the Grizzlies don't have that same killer who can get downhill and attack. Yes, JJJ, Clarke, and Steven Adams are monsters around the hoop, but they have to keep taking lots of jumpers, whether it's from mid-range or deep.
Dominate inside
Perhaps the biggest difference in Game 5 was the Grizzlies' ability to absolutely dominate down low. They outrebounded the Dubs 55-37 and 18-4 on offensive boards. Taylor Jenkins' squad just showed much more effort and desire inside and the numbers prove it. Adams had 13 rebounds and he must continue to crash the boards and win that battle. The Warriors will come back very physically but the Grizzlies need to be ready for that.
Then when it comes to points in the paint, Memphis outscored them 50-36. Yes, the Dubs were essentially non-existent. Knowing how good of a team they are, Steve Kerr's group will bounce back. But if the Grizzlies push the pace and proceed to get inside and score, whether it's at the hoop or from mid-range, it will put them in a good position to succeed.
It's going to take an all-around effort to snatch Game 6 on the road in a noisy Chase Center. That being said, the Grizzlies proved on Wednesday they're still a very good team, even when Morant is on the shelf. Their 21-6 record sans Ja is clear proof.
Let's see if the Grizzlies can get it done and even up this series at three games apiece.
