The Grizzlies took Game 2 in Oakland and made the Warriors look vulnerable for the first time all year in the process. When Memphis took Game 3 at home to grab a 2-1 series lead, some wondered if Golden State was mortal. To regain the veneer of invincibility it had lost, Steve Kerr's team needed to destroy the Grizzlies in Game 4 with Stephen Curry looking like the league's MVP.
NBA playoffs scores 2015: The Warriors are still terrifying and 3 other things we learned
Stephen Curry and the Warriors destroyed the Grizzlies on their own building and the Hawks outlasted the Wizards in Washington.
That’s what they did. Behind a brilliant performance by Curry, the Warriors sealed the victory in the first half and coasted the rest of the way. The 101-84 final score really doesn’t do justice to how Golden State dominated the game from the second quarter on.
Curry had been solid but not great so far in the series. He had not taken control of a game the way he showed he could in the regular season. He changed that at a crucial time, as a loss would have had the Warriors down 1-3 and facing elimination. Curry almost single-handedly prevented that from happening by going off in the first half for 21 points.
The Warriors also received good performances from Draymond Green, who hit three three-pointers in the first two quarters, and Andrew Bogut, who controlled the paint. Yet it was Curry, as it has been all season, who led the way. His four first-half assists resulted in 10 points and he also pitched in on the boards with four. Even dunk attempts that were supposed to rim out ended up falling for him, a sign that it was not the Grizzlies' night.
The lead stood at 17 at the half and it was hard to imagine a team with as few three-point threats as the Grizzlies would make a furious comeback powered by outside shots. Memphis fought with its usual tools and tried to lock down on defense to cut the deficit, but every time they did a Warrior -- usually Curry -- responded. Even with Marc Gasol playing 38 minutes the Grizzlies only got as close as 16 in the second half.
This is exactly the type of statement game Golden State needed to remind everyone that they are still the team to beat out West. The Grizzlies will go to battle in Oracle Arena on Wednesday because that’s who they are. They won’t surrender. Watching the Warriors play like they did on Monday, however, makes it hard to imagine Memphis shocking the NBA world again by stealing another game on the road.
3 other things we learned
Paul Pierce continues to be an assassin
Pierce has been an absolute nightmare for defenses in the postseason. He hits three-pointers when given an inch and he's very hard to guard when Washington goes small. In Game 4 he tortured the Hawks with five made three-pointers on his first five attempts from the outside. When he took a potentially game-tying three near the end of the game, everyone watching thought it was going in. That's how scary The Truth still is on in clutch situations.
Not long ago Pierce’s days as an effective players seemed to be over, but this run is proving he still has that star DNA that allows him to shine when the stakes are high. It wasn’t enough on Monday but it’s still a joy to see one of the greats playing at a high level.
The Hawks' two point guard lineup can hurt the Wizards
Mike Budenholzer decided to go with a two point guard lineup on Game 4 more than he had in the rest of the series combined and it worked. The Jeff Teague-Dennis Schroeder pairing didn't blow the doors off Washington but Atlanta outscored them by five points in the 14 minutes they were on the court together. The team didn't shoot particularly well but they managed to get to the line enough to offset that.
It should be an option the Hawks should consider going forward, as Schroeder has the speed to not be a huge liability when he guards Bradley Beal and it represents an upgrade on offense over a spot-up shooter. Schroeder can create for himself or take advantage of the attention Teague gets to attack after kick-outs up or cut. With John Wall potentially missing Game 5, going small in the backcourt might be a way to prop up some lineups that struggle to score without paying too hefty a price for it.
Andrew Bogut makes a bigger impact than the box score suggest
Bogut finished the night with a nice stat line for a defensive center: four points, nine rebounds, four assists, three steals and three blocks. Yet even those very good numbers fail to accurately reflect how important he is for the Warriors on both ends of the floor.
Bogut’s passing allows Steve Kerr to play Stephen Curry off the ball as a decoy on occasion, adding a layer of unpredictability to an already fluid offense. And on defense he not only walls off the rim but also manages to be in the right position in almost every play, while rarely making mistakes.
The Warriors have more flashy players after Curry, including an all-star like Thompson and a trash-talking ball of energy in Draymond Green. Yet Bogut might be the most important cog after the MVP.
Play of the night
Nene dunked all over the Hawks on Monday but this one was the most fun:
The Wizards lost but it’s always a blast watching big men finish with authority in the paint.
4 fun things
Final scores
Hawks 106, Wizards 101 (Peachtree Hoops recap | Bullets Forever recap)
Warriors 101, Grizzlies 84 (Golden State of Mind recap | Grizzly Bear Blues recap)
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