While Monday's Game 4 in Memphis isn't technically a must-win for the Golden State Warriors, the difference between heading home in a 3-1 hole and regaining home-court advantage with a series tie is astronomical. Here's 3 things the Warriors need to do to beat the Grizzlies tonight.
1. Utilize a bigger lineup
A heavy dose of small ball hasn't worked against Memphis for two reason. First of all, active hands on the perimeter have forced rough shots from all of Golden State's shooters, including the Splash Brothers. Secondly, Grizzlies head coach Dave Joerger has been dialing up a steady dose of Zach Randolph/Marc Gasol from the baseline into the post, roughing up a Warriors squad who has constantly stepped in too late on help defense.
The time is now to bring in David Lee for a few key stretches, letting him both do his thing in the block and open up other shooters with his mid-range touch.
2. Don't turn it over/organize transition defense
The Grizzlies killed the Warriors on points off turnovers in Game 3, using a +15 margin off Golden State mistakes to both build a lead and keep it down the stretch. The Warriors of these past two games look eerily similar to the turnover-prone enigma of the early season -- except they're not hitting open looks, which makes the points off turnovers that much more crucial. Cutting the turnovers and getting more organized when they inevitably have to play transition defense is key.
3. Be the initial aggressors on offense
Golden State has been a reactive mess in these past two losses, waiting on the inevitable Tony Allen switch and attempting to adjust a split second too late. For the Warriors to salvage a split in Memphis, they need to be aggressive with their ball movement, slash and kick work, and feeds into the post. Unless they can speed up the game and Memphis' decision making, Game 4 will be a similar slog to that of Game 2 & 3, hampering the Warriors' high-octane style and leveling the playing field.
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