Klay Thompson and the Golden State Warriors have finally budged, acknowledging a rivalry with the Ja Morant-led Memphis Grizzlies.
“They’re knocking on the door of championship contention, trying to knock us off,” Thompson tells Damichael Cole of Commercial Appeal.
“And they are loud about it. We’re trying to hold on to this run and they’re right there knocking at the door. Sounds like a rivalry to me.”
The Warriors are the NBA's reigning dynasty, having won four championships in six NBA Finals appearances since the 2014-15 season. However, the Warriors are currently tied for 10th place in the Western Conference standings with the rebuilding Oklahoma City Thunder, clearly near the end of their powers as the league shifts towards a new face.
Enter the young Grizzlies, who believe they're next up.
Battling with the Warriors in the 2022 Western Conference semifinals before falling, 2-4, Memphis has clearly taken confidence from that meeting. They now approach the season and opponents as if they're the ones that need to be impressed.
And at 31-16, the second-best record in the Western Conference, you can't exactly blame them.
Morant, averaging 27.2 points per game in just his fourth season, is possibly the most athletic point guard in league history. Desmond Bane is a lights-out shooter who only continues to develop.
Jaren Jackson Jr. doesn't get the ‘unicorn' moniker. Nonetheless, you would be hard-pressed to find another big man who excels at protecting the paint and launching shots from distance quite like him.
Considering their rise, their promise and their attitude, a rivalry is definitely brewing between these two powerhouses, and Klay Thompson doesn't seem like he's trying to run from that any longer.
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