The Golden State Warriors were happy with the way they ended their road trip – a 120-100 win over the Washington Wizards. They now return home and get to face a team that is playing some really solid basketball right now in the form of the Memphis Grizzlies. The Grizzlies have won four straight games overall and also have won their last four matchups against Golden State. In their previous two matchups this year the Warriors lost by one point in each contest – losing 91-90 on January 23 and 104-103 on February 18.

The Warriors are going to have to build up a lead and be able to hold it if they are going to beat the Grizzlies on March 7. Let’s take a look at some storylines coming into their matchup with Memphis:

Playoff Push

The Warriors are still four games out of the eighth spot in the Western Conference and have four teams ahead of them, two of which have records that are .500 or better. The Warriors sit at 15-20 with 31 games left to go in the season, including this matchup with the Grizzlies. If the Warriors are going to consider making a playoff push it needs to start against the Grizzlies, who are currently fifth in the Western Conference.

Stephen Curry’s Return

Curry scored 12 points in his return for the Warriors in Washington. He played just nine-minutes and 18 seconds, but was 5-for-7 from the floor including 2-of-3 from three point range. In fact, the entire Warriors team came alive from three-point range, making 15-of-23 three-pointers on the night. The return of Curry to the lineup infused the Warriors with the little extra boost they needed in order to really take charge against the Wizards. It won’t be any different when the Warriors face the Grizzlies, except that they may need a bigger boost from Curry.

Interior Presence

The Grizzlies have All-Star Marc Gasol who is averaging a near double-double on the season with 18.8 PPG and 9.8 RPG. The Warriors are going to have to combat Gasol somehow and figuring out how to do that will be a key to winning this basketball game. The Warriors frontcourt will have to do some serious work inside the key in order to give them a good chance at beating the Grizzlies. In both games this year, the Warriors have been out-rebounded by the Grizzlies by a total of 86-70 and outscored in the paint by a total of 96-56.

It’s time for the Warriors to get a one-point revenge on the Grizzlies with a healthy Stephen Curry.

Prediction: Warriors 100 – Grizzlies 99

David is co-founder of wrapupp sports blog where fresh content is posted daily and present sports blogs and sports opinions – all with a West Coast bias. Growing up in the Bay Area, David is a huge supporter of all the local sports teams; the Giants, Athletics, Warriors, Sharks, 49ers, and Raiders. His one fault, admittedly, as many of his friends and family would say, is his love for the Los Angeles Lakers. Growing up, Magic Johnson was his favorite basketball player and he fell in love with the team. He chalks it up to, “Not knowing any better”. Now his love for sports has turned just as academic as it is intuitive and he follows most all sports all over the nation.

You can follow David on Twitter: @officialwrapupp

Sources:

NBA.com. Warriors vs. Grizzlies Preview. NBA 2012.

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GRIZZLIES vs GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS

Oracle Arena, 9:30 p.m.

TV, radio: SportSouth, NBA TV; WMFS 92.9-FM/680-AM

Records: Grizzlies: 22-15. Warriors: 15-20.

LINEUPS

Grizzlies: Mike Conley, 6-1, Tony Allen, 6-4, Rudy Gay, 6-8, Marreese Speights, 6-10, Marc Gasol, 7-1.

Warriors: Monta Ellis, 6-3, Dominic McGuire, 6-9, Dorrell Wright, 6-9, David Lee, 6-9, Ekpe Udoh, 6-10.

THE SKINNY

Memphis will try to extend its overall winning streak to five games while going for its fifth in a row over the Warriors. The Griz have won 8 of 9 and 10 of their past 12 games. They are also 11-1 against teams with sub-.500 records. The struggling Warriors have used 12 different players in 10 starting lineups this season. Who to watch? Gasol, who leads the Griz with 18.8 points and 9.8 rebounds per game during the winning streak.

WASHINGTON – The Golden State Warriors found the perfect remedy for a team struggling through a long road trip: the Washington Wizards.

The Wizards, on the other hand, seem to have no answers after a performance their coach termed “unprofessional.”

Golden State found the 3-point shooting touch that had been missing for the previous five games of the road swing and routed the Wizards from the opening quarter in a 120-100 win Monday night.

The Warriors were 15 for 23 on 3-pointers, a season-best 65.2 percent.

“It was like the basket was big for everybody. Everybody was making shots,” Monta Ellis said.

Ellis led the Warriors with 25 points and was 10 for 16 from the floor, including 2 for 4 on 3-pointers. He didn’t play at all in the fourth quarter as both teams emptied their benches.

The long-range barrage was a sharp turnaround from the previous five games, when the Warriors shot 24.2 percent from 3-point range.

“I wish they would have came a little bit earlier, but we’re going to take this one, go home and see what happens,” Ellis said.

Klay Thompson scored 18, and David Lee had 13 points and 10 rebounds for Golden State, which had six players in double figures. It was Golden State’s highest-scoring game since beating Toronto 138-100 on March 25, 2011.

Nick Young scored 25 points, 15 in the fourth quarter, and John Wall had 20 points and 14 assists for Washington, which lost for the seventh time in eight games.

“We get one win and come into a situation where we have a team at the end of a road trip, in a back-to-back and we come in with that effort to start the game,” Washington coach Randy Wittman said. “Inexcusable, and that’s on me. … That is unprofessional. I apologize to everybody that had to watch it and had to come here tonight.”

Golden State had run into problems in the second half their previous two games, scoring a then season-low 36 second-half points in a 105-83 loss at Philadelphia Friday. The Warriors had an even worse showing Sunday at Toronto, scoring 28 points and losing 83-75 despite taking a nine-point halftime lead.

This time, Golden State jumped out to a lead so big there was no chance of giving it up in the second half. Ellis hit a running 3-pointer at the first quarter buzzer to put Golden State ahead 41-24. The Warriors shot 71.4 percent from the field in the quarter, and were 5 of 6 from 3-point range. It was Golden State’s highest-scoring quarter this season, and the most points the Wizards have allowed in a quarter.

“Some guys knew, we lost the game before we came on the court,” Wall said. “Too much joking in the locker room. Too much joking through warm-ups.”

It never got better for Washington. The Warriors extended the lead, going on a 19-2 run that started late in the opening quarter and into the second to make the lead 48-24, and they led by as many as 25 in the second quarter.

The Verizon Center crowd of 17,843 let the Wizards know they were unhappy with one of the team’s worst home performances this season. Forward Andray Blatche has been the target of fans’ ire for much of the season, and playing in his second game after missing more than a month with a strained left calf he was booed as soon as he checked into the game in the first quarter, and heard more throughout the game.

“You’re home and people that’s supposed to have your back don’t have your back. Instead of encouraging you to get better, they push you down and hope you do worse,” Blatche said. “Every time I touch the ball, I’m second-guessing. I’m trying to avoid the boos. Trying to play a perfect game so I don’t have to hear it so I can help my team win.”

Ellis made sure Golden State didn’t have another second-half collapse, scoring 10 of the Warriors’ 24 points in the third quarter and ensuring Washington never built momentum for a comeback. Both teams looked like they were on cruise-control for the final period with most of the starters on the bench.

The Warriors finished the road trip 3-3 and will return home confident their long-range game is back.

“I’m not a coach that’s going to tell them to stop shooting. Fortunately tonight they started falling,” Golden State coach Mark Jackson said. “This was a great win, and it certainly does make the trip back home a little easier.”

NOTES: Warriors G Stephen Curry (strained tendon in his right foot) had his first significant playing time in five games, scoring 12 points in nine minutes. Curry had played just 3 seconds in the previous four games. “If it was a closer game I would have kept him out there a little bit longer, but it made no sense to risk anything,” Jackson said. “He jumped in the pool and he got out.” … Wizards G Nick Young (bruised right knee) returned after missing Saturday’s game. … It was Wall’s third double-double in five games. …. It was the 100th win of the series for the Warriors. Golden State is 100-80 all-time against Washington.

WASHINGTON (AP)—The Golden State Warriors found the perfect remedy for a
team struggling through a long road trip: the Washington Wizards.

The Wizards, on the other hand, seem to have no answers after a performance
their coach termed “unprofessional.”

Golden State found the 3-point shooting touch that had been missing for the
previous five games of the road swing and routed the Wizards from the opening
quarter in a 120-100 win Monday night.

The Warriors were 15 for 23 on 3-pointers, a season-best 65.2 percent.

“It was like the basket was big for everybody. Everybody was making
shots,” Monta Ellis said.

Ellis led the Warriors with 25 points and was 10 for 16 from the floor,
including 2 for 4 on 3-pointers. He didn’t play at all in the fourth quarter as
both teams emptied their benches.

The long-range barrage was a sharp turnaround from the previous five games,
when the Warriors shot 24.2 percent from 3-point range.

“I wish they would have came a little bit earlier, but we’re going to take
this one, go home and see what happens,” Ellis said.

Klay Thompson scored 18, and David Lee had 13 points and 10 rebounds for
Golden State, which had six players in double figures. It was Golden State’s
highest-scoring game since beating Toronto 138-100 on March 25, 2011.

Nick Young scored 25 points, 15 in the fourth quarter, and John Wall had 20
points and 14 assists for Washington, which lost for the seventh time in eight
games.

“We get one win and come into a situation where we have a team at the end
of a road trip, in a back-to-back and we come in with that effort to start the
game,” Washington coach Randy Wittman said. “Inexcusable, and that’s on me.
… That is unprofessional. I apologize to everybody that had to watch it and
had to come here tonight.”

Golden State had run into problems in the second half their previous two
games, scoring a then season-low 36 second-half points in a 105-83 loss at
Philadelphia Friday. The Warriors had an even worse showing Sunday at Toronto,
scoring 28 points and losing 83-75 despite taking a nine-point halftime lead.

This time, Golden State jumped out to a lead so big there was no chance of
giving it up in the second half. Ellis hit a running 3-pointer at the first
quarter buzzer to put Golden State ahead 41-24. The Warriors shot 71.4 percent
from the field in the quarter, and were 5 of 6 from 3-point range. It was Golden
State’s highest-scoring quarter this season, and the most points the Wizards
have allowed in a quarter.

“Some guys knew, we lost the game before we came on the court,” Wall said.
“Too much joking in the locker room. Too much joking through warm-ups.”

It never got better for Washington. The Warriors extended the lead, going on
a 19-2 run that started late in the opening quarter and into the second to make
the lead 48-24, and they led by as many as 25 in the second quarter.

The Verizon Center crowd of 17,843 let the Wizards know they were unhappy
with one of the team’s worst home performances this season. Forward Andray
Blatche has been the target of fans’ ire for much of the season, and playing in
his second game after missing more than a month with a strained left calf he was
booed as soon as he checked into the game in the first quarter, and heard more
throughout the game.

“You’re home and people that’s supposed to have your back don’t have your
back. Instead of encouraging you to get better, they push you down and hope you
do worse,” Blatche said. “Every time I touch the ball, I’m second-guessing.
I’m trying to avoid the boos. Trying to play a perfect game so I don’t have to
hear it so I can help my team win.”

Ellis made sure Golden State didn’t have another second-half collapse,
scoring 10 of the Warriors’ 24 points in the third quarter and ensuring
Washington never built momentum for a comeback. Both teams looked like they were
on cruise-control for the final period with most of the starters on the bench.

The Warriors finished the road trip 3-3 and will return home confident their
long-range game is back.

“I’m not a coach that’s going to tell them to stop shooting. Fortunately
tonight they started falling,” Golden State coach Mark Jackson said. “This was
a great win, and it certainly does make the trip back home a little easier.”

NOTES: Warriors G Stephen Curry (strained tendon in his right foot) had his
first significant playing time in five games, scoring 12 points in nine minutes.
Curry had played just 3 seconds in the previous four games. “If it was a closer
game I would have kept him out there a little bit longer, but it made no sense
to risk anything,” Jackson said. “He jumped in the pool and he got out.” …
Wizards G Nick Young (bruised right knee) returned after missing Saturday’s
game. … It was Wall’s third double-double in five games. …. It was the 100th
win of the series for the Warriors. Golden State is 100-80 all-time against
Washington.