Last night, fans at the Roaracle for Game 2 of the Western Conference Semifinals saw Halley's Comet piercing through a triple rainbow and onto an elf riding a unicorn that is, they saw a Warriors loss at home. It was only the third such event this season and the first since January 27. And now the Dubs head to Memphis with the series tied 1-1 and having lost the home court advantage.
The night started out so well, didn't it? Steph Curry was presented with the MVP trophy, the first Warrior to win the honor since Wilt the Stilt Chamberlain! The Warriors were at home, were the favorite, and would head to Memphis with a 2-0 series lead. Alas.
Two minutes into the game, the Grizzlies took the lead and never relinquished it. Not that the Warriors didn't make it close at first, anyway. Three minutes into the second quarter, the Dubs brought the score nearly even, 32-30, and then it all went to hell on offense. The Big Bad Wolf damn near hyperventilated when he saw how many bricks there were in the second half of that second quarter. Both sides put up shot after shot after shot, loving the iron, hating the net. In that stretch, the Warriors shot 4-17 and turned the ball over five times. Thankfully, the Grizzlies were just as miserable and allowed the Warriors to remain within two points with 1:30 left in the quarter, at 41-39. Then it all went to hell again. The Grizzlies scored nine unanswered points in the last 90 seconds of the half--as many points as the Warriors scored in the preceding nine minutes. It was crap.
By now, there is not a single team in the entire association that would be foolish enough to presume any lead of any size is safe against the Warriors. A 10-point lead becomes a 2-point deficit with four flicks of the wrist from Steph & Co. The Warriors live by the 3. They also die by it. Put simply, if the Dubs can hit 4 out of 10 threes, their opponent will need to hit 6 out of 10 twos just to keep pace. And if Andrew and Draymond get their rebounds, God help you. But if Steph hits just 2 of 11 threes? If Klay goes 1 for 6? If the team shoots .231 from beyond the arc? Yeah
Game 1: Memphis 86, Golden State 101
Game 2: Memphis 97, Golden State 90
Game 3: Saturday, May 9 at Memphis, 5PM (ABC)
Game 4: Monday, May 11 at Memphis, 6:30PM (TNT)
Game 5: Wednesday, May 13 at Golden State
Game 6: will not be necessary!
Game 7: will not be necessary!