Grizzlies at Warriors
Stephen Curry has an MVP trophy to show off and returns to the business
of hoisting a banner when the top-seeded Golden State Warriors host the
Memphis Grizzlies in Tuesday’s Game 2 of the Western Conference
semifinals. Curry was named the NBA’s top player on Monday and received
100 of the 130 first-place votes to easily claim the award over Houston
star James Harden.
Curry averaged 23.8 points and 7.7 assists in leading the Warriors to a 67-win regular season and aims to stay focused on the bigger goal. “It’s a fun time, the pressure is on,” Curry told reporters. “The vibe around the league is at a high, and I think we’re ready for the moment.” Fifth-seeded Memphis will likely again be without standout point guard Mike Conley (facial fractures), and he was badly missed when the Grizzlies played portions of the opener without a true point guard. “We’ve got to do a better job of communicating and know what we want to do if that situation happens in the game,” center Marc Gasol told reporters. “We’ve got to all know what we’re looking for.”
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT
ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES: Nick Calathes struggled with three turnovers in 21 scoreless minutes as Conley’s replacement in Game 1, and Memphis had shooting guard Courtney Lee practice at the point on Monday to get him acclimated to running the offense. Conley figures to play in the series at some point and is considering coming back much sooner than the doctor’s instructions. “There playoffs are where – regardless of what your injury is – you find a way,” Conley told reporters. “If they tell you four weeks, you want to be back in a week. That’s how guys look at it but I’ve got to be smart.”
ABOUT THE WARRIORS: Curry had 22 points, seven assists and four steals in the opener while backcourt mate Klay Thompson scored 18 points and forward Draymond Green knocked down four 3-pointers while scoring 16 points. Green insisted afterward that his team is by far the best in the NBA and the success isn’t just a regular-season deal. “It’s not that other teams got injuries or someone is eliminated,” Green told reporters. “We feel like we can beat anyone, and that’s been our mindset the entire year and it’s not going to change now.”
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Golden State has won 21 consecutive home games and is 42-2, counting three playoff wins.
2. Grizzlies backup SG Vince Carter was 1-of-7 in Game 1 and is shooting 37.5 percent in the postseason.
3. Curry is averaging 31.4 points through five postseason contests.