At 10:30 p.m. the Memphis Grizzlies (6-5) will tip off with the Golden State Warriors (8-3) at Oracle Arena in a matchup that will close out a busy night of NBA action. Live stream the game here; Grizzlies fans can catch the radio broadcast on 92.9 ESPN Memphis, while the Warriors can be followed on 680 KNBR.
While on the surface this matchup appears to be a clear-cut battle between Golden State's lethal shooting and Memphis' strong defense, the Warriors' defense is easily overlooked. They are giving up just 96.3 points per game this year, a full point less than the Grizzlies.
Golden state has won four straight games since losing to the Grizzlies, and allowed Utah to score just 87 points in their last game, the lowest total of that stretch. "We did the job defensively," coach Mark Jackson said. "You hope that the defense becomes the norm, which it has been for a couple years now. We take pride in it. Guys drill it. ... Offense will go up and down, but defensively we have an expectancy level, and, again, tonight we met it."
Jackson isn't the only Warrior preaching D. "We are starting to get an identity, especially defensively. We are known as an offensive team, but ... our team defense has been very, very good," center and defensive anchor Andrew Bogut said.
Stephen Curry even chimed in about the upgraded defense, telling media, "We're playing well and sharing the ball, but more importantly, our defense is solid. When you are getting stops and you're able to run in transition, the offense seems to flow pretty smoothly."
Memphis is on a roll as well, and a win tonight would make for a 4-0 road trip. Their last win came without Tony Allen, who was suspended for a game for kicking Chris Paul. He will be back tonight to guard Klay Thompson.
"It was real big, doing what we did and not having Tony," power forward Zach Randolph said. "Guys stepped it up. ... That's what we need."
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