Just a core dump from our YouTube channel and notes & quotes, Golden State Warriors at Memphis Grizzlies, Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals.
PREGAME
Stephen Curry & Klay workouts/autographs + Dell + Kerr + MORE pregame views, Warriors-Grizzlies G1
JENKINS
Taylor Jenkins on lineups/rotation: “I know what I’m doing, but I’m not going to tell y’all right now.” (Damichael Cole)
Taylor Jenkins said assistant coach Blake Ahearn was scouting the Golden State Warriors while the Grizzlies were still playing the Timberwolves. Jenkins said the goal is to mentally/physically sharp as possible. Less than 48 hours since last game. (Cole)
STEVE
Steve Kerr didn’t reveal his starting lineups but then asked “Did Taylor reveal his starting?”
Reporters: No (laughter)
Q from the room: What advantage would that give if I told you Taylor had told us his starting lineups
Kerr: “Absolutely nothing”
Loose pregame energy here. (Evan Barnes)
On Jordan Poole: “Great example of a guy that’s earned the confidence that he’s playing with.” (John Dickinson)
IN-GAME COMMENTARY
3hr 10min mark: Dean comes on for the postgame takeaways
3hr 33min mark: I go on a rant where having Steve Javie be each game’s judge would suffice as the new flagrant review process, something which is sitting in plain sight of the NBA. The fact that Javie takes one-third of the time to come up with a ruling is an indication of the NBA’s complete incompetence when it comes to reviewing for flagrant fouls. It’s an embarrassment!
POSTGAME
First the interviews, then below that, the notes & quotes…
JENKINS
Jenkins: “Do what we’ve done all season. Wake up tomorrow. Rest. Recover. Watch the film. Get better and come out and compete hard on Tuesday.” (Meghan Triplett)
STEVE
Kerr: “Jordan (Poole) was phenomenal…If Steph Curry can come off the bench, anybody can come off the bench.” (John Dickinson and me)
“We outrebounded them. First time we’ve done that this season.” It was 51-47 Warriors on the glass. Sixteen offensive rebounds for both teams.
On Steph’s defense: “I think this was his best defensive season of his career, we definitely saw that all year long.” (Kylen Mills)
Explanation from ref on Draymond ejection: “He hit him in the face and threw him to the ground.” (NBCSBA)
Kerr didn’t want to go into detail about Draymond Green’s ejection. Asked about the flagrant-2, Kerr said simply, “I was surprised. I was surprised.” (Connor Letourneau)
CLARKE
Brandon Clarke on Draymond Green’s Flagrant-2 foul on him: “It’s not shocking that he did that. It’s something he’s done in the past.” (Cole)
“He’s been known for Flagrant fouls in his career. I’ve watched him on TV my whole life it feels like, so I wasn’t really shocked.” (Cole)
“I think that we’ve shown that we can come back after losing one game.” (Cole)
Steph on Draymond’s ejection: “nobody wants to see that not good for the game, I didn’t think he deserved that obviously.” (NBCSBA)
“I just missed everything about this” (NBCSBA)
POOLE
Poole on team’s reaction to Draymond Green’s ejection: “I didn’t think it was going to happen but that’s what they called but we did a really good job fighting all game.” (Madeline Kenney)
Jordan Poole said it was a huge game to win on the road without Draymond Green. “You really have to find that grit, that grind and just buckle down. Defensively he’s such a big part of our team and we knew it would be a huge win if we were able to get it without him on the court” (Evan Barnes)
JJJ
Jaren Jackson Jr. says he’s happy with the look Ja Morant got at the end of the game: “I’ve seen him make that shot 1,000 times … even more in the clutch.” (KJ Wright)
On the last play, Jaren Jackson Jr. said he’s seen Ja Morant make that layup a thousand of times & even more times in the clutch
“It’s a shot he can make in his sleep…I’m with that shot every day of the week…I want him to shoot it a million more times…love that he took it” (Triplett)
LOONEY
Looney on NBC: “(after Draymond got ejected) I just wanted to be active…set the tone playing physical without fouling.” (LGW)
KLAY
Klay: “big sigh of relief” (NBCSBA)
Klay Thompson on Draymond Green’s ejection: “It’s unfortunate, we’re not the same team without him but just incredibly proud of how we responded.” (Kenney)
“Missing two free throws is very uncharacteristic for me, but I’m human. I’ve learned from a lot of experience that you have to move forward.” (Letourneau)
“That was a fun night, man. After the two years I had and now… it’s awesome.” (Kenney)
“Jordan has developed such a great floor game and he made some huge shots.” (Dickinson)
“I played angry. I played angry. … Andre (Iguodala) came up to me at the end of the game and said, ‘Keep your composure.” (Letourneau)
On the final play. Klay Thompson said he knew the ball was going to Ja Morant despite the inbounds to Brandon Clarke. He and Gary Payton II tried to cut off Ja from getting an open layup so he could make a tough shot. (Barnes)
“After the two years I had and now I’m back to feeling the highs and lows of playoff basketball, it’s awesome.” (95.7 The Game)
JA
Ja Morant said they aren’t playing the way they want to play. They gave up too many 2nd chance pts (26) and gave up 18 fast break pts. They don’t want to give that up. (Triplett)
“I missed the layup I normally make all the time… On to the next one, though.” (Wright)
Ja Morant said respect to the refs for letting him and Draymond Green have that competitive conversation during an inbound in the first quarter. (Damichael Cole)
GP2
GP on last play vs Ja: “I was actually beat on the play, thank God Klay sniffed it out” (me)
it’s “fun” defending Ja Morant because he brings out the best in Payton and the Warriors love those challenges.
[Grizzlies postgame interviews to be uploaded to the YouTube channel shortly.]
👍👍💛💙