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As the series is tied heading toward Game 3 with three full days of rest, both the Memphis Grizzlies and Golden State Warriors will be well-rested for this critical game on Saturday night. Ja Morant had the best performance of the NBA playoffs in Game 2, so momentum is on the Grizzlies side even with the Warriors stealing one game at Fedex Forum.
Dillon Brooks will be missing Game 3 due to a one-game suspension, so coach Taylor Jenkins will have a major challenge of overcoming his absence. His contributions on both sides of the court have been tremendous in this year's playoffs, so role players like De'Anthony Melton or Ziaire Williams must elevate their game at a higher level in Game 3. Morant must sustain his superb numbers for the Grizzlies to stand a legitimate chance against the veteran Warriors roster, but these are some adjustments Memphis must do for Game 3.
Grizzlies Game 3 adjustments they must make without Dillon Brooks
Prevent the raucous crowd from exploding
It has been a given that the Warriors crowd gives opponents lasting headaches as they could easily get rattled with the noise and jeers from the audience. For this to not happen, Memphis can control the fans by defending the three-point line excellently and not giving Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, or Jordan Poole the chance to rack up several successive long range bombs.
Even if the game is close for majority of the time, Golden State could clinch an easy win just due to their sheer dominance in the three-point category. Moreover, the Grizzlies must also not tally less than 15 turnovers in Game 3 and Game 4, respectively because these would lead to a plethora of fast break chances and give an opening for the crowd to affect the outcome of these contests. Memphis is a young team, but they must realize that home court advantage is a serious edge in the NBA Playoffs.
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Pound the glass on the undersized Warriors
Another facet of basketball wherein Memphis needs to have the upper-hand every game is the rebounding battle. In both Game 1 and Game 2, Golden State has been more aggressive and assertive in grabbing the loose balls and hustle plays despite the undersized stature. Moving into San Francisco for Game 3 and Game 4, it would seem insurmountable for Memphis to find a way to win if this continues becoming a trend.
Xavier Tillman has been starting at the four spot in this series, but Jenkins may consider utilizing Steven Adams for certain stretches when Kevon Looney is on the floor. That would be around 12-15 minutes per game, and Adams could corral more than five rebounds and prove his case as one of the best rebounders in the league. Furthermore, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Kyle Anderson could still also help in this category as the rebounding cannot solely be dependent on the emergence of Brandon Clarke.
Find a spark plug from their role players
Melton will likely be inserted by Jenkins in the first unit, so he must even be better than he was in the first two games of the series. His value has been remarkable as an underrated 3-and-D wing for Memphis, but he may need to sustain this for over 30 minutes on Game 3. Tyus Jones is another shooter who could space the floor for Morant and the Grizzlies, but having two point guards on the floor at the same time is not an ideal scenario for Memphis.
Jenkins may prefer using Melton, Williams, or Anderson because of the size and length they can provide to disrupt the offensive firepower of the Warriors. If three of these individuals are able to record at least eight points each, that would be a total of 24 markers, which would be a massive boost to aid Morant with the scoring. Desmond Bane must come out of his funk in Game 3 as Bane must prove that he is still the second or third best player of the Grizzlies.
With the objective of claiming one game at the very least in Chase Center, Game 3 would be an enormous challenge without Brooks. Jenkins will be poised to alter some of his schemes without Brooks, but Morant, Jackson Jr. and the rest of the crew will definitely be up for the mission. The second youngest lineup in the NBA has been impressive this season and that does not seem to change in this series.
