SAN FRANCISCO – Jordan Poole is far from a finished product and the fourth-year security guard showed both signs of brilliance and struggles to control his emotions on the basketball big stage on Christmas Day.
Poole scored 32 points – highlighted by an emphatic one-handed slam from a pass by Draymond Green in the third – to prevail against Ja Morant before being ejected early in the fourth, and the Warriors defeated the Memphis Grizzlies in a 123 rematch on Sunday night -109 of the Western Conference Semifinals won by Golden State.
“When we’re locked in and playing for each other, we’re a damn good team,” said guard Donte DiVincenzo. “The most important thing for us is when we are tested against adversity.”
Coach Steve Kerr wasn’t keen on the technique, although he did have one.
Morant scored 36 points debuted his first Nike signature “Ja 1” shoe for the Grizzlies’ first Christmas game.
Klay Thompson added 24 points and nine rebounds, DiVincenzo had 19 points and Ty Jerome came off the bench big in third place for 14 points as the Warriors played their 10th straight Christmas game.
Kerr credits Jerome with reassuring the team when he’s down, especially important after a tough 1-5 trip as the team tries to build something during an eight-game stint at the Chase Center.
“We need wins, away, at home,” said Jerome. “Every game is huge for us at the moment.”
With the Grizzlies finally healthy and with their regular lineup, tensions were high, just as they were in the playoffs seven months ago. Poole was thrown left for the first time in his career at 9:20 and Golden State had six technical problems.
“He knows he can’t get a second one. He’s still a young player,” Kerr said. “Jordan was fantastic tonight and we needed his offensive firepower.”
Poole scored in the first consecutive 3-pointer 22 seconds apart as the Warriors played without injured reigning NBA Finals MVP Stephen Curry for the fifth consecutive season due to a shoulder injury. Poole had 17 points on 5-of-9 shooting with three 3s in the opening quarter.
The Warriors used a 19-8 burst to start the second quarter to lead 52-37. But Memphis roared back, coming up 59-54 after three free throws from Tyus Jones just before half-time after a technical attack on Poole.
Steven Adams grabbed 14 rebounds for Memphis and delivered a 125-100 win in Phoenix on Friday night in his seventh wire-to-wire win of the season. Desmond Bane played his second game after a 17-game absence with a sprained right big toe.
Green was questionable with pain in his right foot but tested it during a walk-through and was okay with 13 rebounds and 13 assists.
TIP INS
Grizzlies: Morant missed 8 of 10 3s, Bane was 0 for 7 while the Grizzlies went 9 of 39 from deep. … Memphis had won the last two against the Warriors, who have won eight out of ten overall in the rivalry. … The Grizzlies held the Suns at 43.7% from the ground on Friday and Golden State shot up to 47.3%.
Warrior: All-Star Andrew Wiggins missed his 10th straight game and 12th overall with a right thigh muscle strain. … Green was hit by a technical hit at the 3:08 mark of the first, his 10th of the season. … Curry will miss at least two more weeks for Golden State as he recovers from a partial left shoulder dislocation he sustained in a Dec. 14 game in Indiana. … Golden State played as the defending champions for the fifth time on Christmas Day and is 4-1 in those games. The Warriors are 15-17 overall at Christmas and 8-5 at home.
NEXT
Grizzlies: hosts Phoenix on Tuesday night.
Warriors: Host Charlotte on Tuesday night.
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