Golden State Warriors steal emotional Recreation Four win from Memphis Grizzlies with out Steve Kerr

SAN FRANCISCO — Golden State Warriors affiliate head coach Mike Brown was going by his regular pregame preparation when he obtained a name from head coach Steve Kerr.

Kerr informed Brown he wasn’t feeling nicely and that he would possibly want Brown to educate Recreation Four in opposition to the Memphis Grizzlies. Thirty minutes later, Kerr registered a optimistic COVID-19 take a look at and formally gave Brown the reins for the pivotal recreation.

It was the newest bump in what was already an emotional day for the Warriors. Earlier, the Sacramento Kings introduced Brown because the workforce’s subsequent head coach. Only a few hours earlier than that, information broke that Draymond Green‘s faculty teammate and greatest buddy, Adreian Payne, had been shot and killed in Florida. Then Kerr’s optimistic COVID-19 take a look at.

“It was an up-and-down, emotional day,” Brown mentioned.

“It was a tricky night time for us, however at this level within the 12 months, you win ballgames. Does not matter the way you get there, however you win ballgames.”

The Warriors did simply that, beating the Grizzlies 101-98 to take a commanding 3-1 lead within the Western Convention semifinal sequence.

However it wasn’t fairly. Warriors assistant coach Chris DeMarco in contrast it to a soccer recreation — that the Warriors saved handing the ball off to their fullback to get them right down to the pink zone earlier than kicking a subject purpose to win it.

The Warriors obtained off to a sluggish and sloppy begin, but once more. They coughed the ball up six instances within the first quarter. The Grizzlies hopped out to an early 15-Eight lead. Golden State missed their first 15 3-point makes an attempt earlier than Otto Porter Jr. lastly hit one with 3:23 left within the first half. However the Warriors managed to maintain themselves inside placing distance.

“We now have been fairly frantic to begin the ballgames,” Brown mentioned. “The one factor I fear about was after we compelled the difficulty turnoverwise, driving into their size and athleticism … however as soon as we figured that half out, we obtained attractiveness.”

Warriors level guard Stephen Curry supplied his evaluation.

“Whenever you come right into a fourth quarter with no offensive movement and you are still inside three or 4 possessions, there’s some motivation behind that,” Curry mentioned.

With simply over 9½ minutes to go within the recreation, the Warriors discovered themselves trailing by eight factors. However over the following three minutes, Golden State outscored Memphis 12-4. Curry scored 18 of his 32 factors within the last body, eight of which got here from the free throw line.

Though he led the sport in scoring, Curry’s night time would not essentially be categorized as “good,” as he completed taking pictures 10-of-25 from the ground, together with 4-of-14 from past the 3-point line. He did not get a lot assist, with Klay Thompson taking pictures 6-of-20 from the sector and Jordan Poole going 4-of-12. Neither Thompson nor Poole hit a 3-pointer. In reality, the Warriors have struggled to search out an offensive rhythm all sequence, aside from their Recreation Three taking pictures onslaught.

“As a result of [Curry] would not take into consideration the previous or dwell on it too exhausting, he all the time thinks concerning the subsequent factor that’s going to occur in a optimistic method for him, whether or not it is a made shot or the suitable cross,” Brown mentioned. “He is all the time assured as a result of he thinks subsequent play the entire time.”

Although it was Curry who sealed the win for the Warriors, Brown credited Inexperienced and Andre Iguodala — who hasn’t performed since Recreation Four of their first-round sequence in opposition to the Denver Nuggets due to a neck harm — for being the workforce’s emotional leaders.

“I mentioned, ‘I would like you guys tonight. I will lean on you guys,'” Brown mentioned. “These guys stayed regular the entire recreation. Andre on the bench, clearly, and Draymond on the ground, we discovered a method.”

Brown mentioned that there wasn’t one particular pep speak or piece of recommendation that Iguodala or Inexperienced gave however that it was extra so their basic calmness that settled the Warriors’ “frantic” begin.

“To have veterans like Andre and Draymond who’ve been by the highs and lows of many playoff sequence, when they’re reassuring the blokes of that, it gave all people else confidence,” Brown mentioned. “Their presence, their voice, their calmness, reassurance, all that stuff means rather a lot for our group, particularly with Steve being out.”

Inexperienced mentioned that channeling his feelings into the Warriors’ gritty win was one of the best factor he might do for himself.

“It was nice to lose myself within the recreation for 48 minutes,” Inexperienced informed ESPN minutes after sharing an extended embrace with relations following the buzzer. “Relaxation in peace, Adreian Payne. My brother, my little brother, my faculty roommate, my teammate. Very, very emotional day, however the win helps. It sucks.”

After Inexperienced’s efficiency — which featured tipping the ball away from Jaren Jackson Jr. as he went up for a 3-point try and tie the sport with lower than 10 seconds to go — his uncooked feelings set in.

He would not communicate at a information convention postgame. He mentioned he did not need to cry in entrance of individuals, so he would go house to document a podcast, throughout which he might pause his recording if he felt the necessity to cry. However Inexperienced did announce that he and his fiancée, Hazel Renee, could be donating $100,000 to a fund in Payne’s identify to honor his legacy.

As for the Warriors, they are going to journey to Memphis on Tuesday with out Kerr, and Brown will proceed to function appearing head coach as they attempt to shut out their sequence in opposition to the Grizzlies in Recreation 5 on Wednesday.