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The Memphis Grizzlies and Golden State Warriors have had arguably the most intense and physical series of the playoffs thus far. There have been chippiness, flagrant fouls, and unfortunately injuries already in the series. The most notable storyline heading into Game 4 is the status of Ja Morant. The Grizzlies star left Game 3 with a knee injury and Morant was not pleased with the grabbing of his knee by Jordan Poole. There have been several controversial plays that have been argued about whether or not they are dirty and it is unfortunate Morant may not be able to suit up in Game 4. His status is still to be determined but Grizzlies' head coach Taylor Jenkins does not seem optimistic about his status.
Even if Morant is unable to play, the Grizzlies still have reason to believe they can secure a win. Memphis was 20-5 on the season in games Morant did not play in this season which is an impressive mark. While Ja Morant is certainly the centerpiece of the franchise, the Grizzlies have plenty of young talent that will need to step up in the Most Improved Player's absence.
3 Bold Grizzlies Predictions for Game 4 vs Warriors
Dillon Brooks scores 25+ points
If nothing else, Dillon Brooks is expected to be fresh for Game 4. The Grizzlies guard made headlines for his flagrant 2 foul on Gary Payton just three minutes into Game 2. Brooks was ejected from the matchup and suspended for Game 3 as well.
Dillon Brooks has been suspended for the Game 3 of Warriors-Grizllies due to the Flagrant 2 Foul on Gary Payton II.pic.twitter.com/8IN9phr08O
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 5, 2022
While the tendency to foul and the growing reputation as a dirty player have certainly been earned on Brooks' part, it overshadows his basketball ability. The Oregon product was Memphis' second-leading scorer this season with 18.4 points per game. Brooks has had an inconsistent playoff performance so far and struggled to fully find his stride. The 26-year-old scored just eight points in Game 1 on 3 of 13 shooting in Game 1 before being ejected and suspended during Games 2 and 3.
The best way to make everyone forget about the antics is by performing well. Look for Dillon Brooks to establish himself as a key part of the Grizzlies' offense and play a clean game moving forward in the series.
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Desmond Bane hits 3 three-pointers
It is a near-impossible task to out-shoot the Warriors from deep, however, the Grizzlies must do a better job creating production from beyond the arc. The difference in the three-point shooting was a massive reason for the Grizzlies' sole victory in the series and this should be a continued focal point. If Ja Morant is unable to suit up this will become even more important.
The biggest threat from this area is Desmond Bane who ranked third in the NBA in three-point percentage this year. Despite averaging 9.2 three-point attempts in the opening playoff series, Bane has seen his volume slip against the Warriors. He has not attempted more than 7 three-pointers in any of the three games so far and connected on a total of five.
Expect the Grizzlies to make a conscious effort to get Bane more involved in the offense. His 43.6% makes him a weapon from deep and the Grizzlies must look to capitalize on this.
Jaren Jackson Jr Scores 20+
If there was no foul limit in the NBA, Jaren Jackson may already be an All-Star. The 7-footer led the NBA in blocked shots this season with 2.3 per game while being a valuable part of the offense. Jackson has fouled out of 3 of the Grizzlies' 9 playoff games so far this postseason and tallied five fouls an additional three times.
This continues to be a major concern in Jackson's game as it is difficult to keep him on the court. The Michigan State product has shown some improvement and only tallied 3 fouls in two of the three games this series. His on-court production is so important that Jackson must be smart in Game 4.
Look for the big man to avoid early foul trouble and produce at the level he is capable of offensively. Jaren Jackson Jr made a statement in Game 1 by scoring 33 points but has been unable to sustain this. With the Grizzlies in need of offensive production, expect Jackson to make use of the advanced handle for his size. As great of a defender as Draymond Green is, Jackson holds a 6-inch height advantage that he should look to take advantage of.
With the Grizzlies already trailing 2-1 in the series, Game 4 is incredibly important. There have only ever been 13 teams able to come back from down 3-1 in a series losing would not put the team in a great spot. Memphis must play with their back against the wall and show the fight that has been seen all season with the youthful squad.
