Bear Necessities
· The Memphis Grizzlies will look for a split in Golden State to even their Western Conference Semifinals series at two games apiece following a Game 3 loss on Saturday.
• Game 4 is Monday (5/9) on 92.9 FM ESPN. The Warriors are favored by 10-points in Game 4.
· Golden State shot 63.1% from the field and 53.1% from 3-point range in Game 3 after shooting 45.2% overall and 27.6% from long range in the first two games in Memphis.
· Memphis leads the NBA in steals (9.0) and points off turnovers (21.6) during the postseason.
· Ja Morant has averaged 38.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 8.3 assists and 3.00 steals in 38.3 minutes while shooting 50.6% from the field, 43.3% from 3-point range and 85.7% from the free throw line during the Western Conference Semifinals… Morant’s 115 total points in Games 1-3 are the most ever in the first three games of a Western Conference Semifinal series (previous: 112 points by Shaquille O’Neal in 2000 and Donovan Mitchell in 2021).
· The Grizzlies won the regular season series, 3-1.
Connections
Warriors center James Wiseman played collegiately at the University of Memphis.Grizzlies forward/center Jaren Jackson Jr., forward/center Xavier Tillman Sr. and Warriors forward Draymond Green played collegiately at Michigan State.Grizzlies forward Kyle Anderson and Warriors center Kevon Looney both played at UCLA.Grizzlies guard/forward Dillon Brooks, forward Brandon Clarke and Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins are from Canada… Wiggins teamed with Grizzlies guard Tyus Jones on the Minnesota Timberwolves.Grizzlies assistant coach Darko Rajaković and Warriors forward Nemanja Bjelica are both from Serbia.Grizzlies radio play-by-play Eric Hasseltine is a native of Walnut Creek, Calif., and graduated from UC-Davis.Grizzlies wing Ziaire Williams, guard Tyrell Terry and Grizzlies TV analyst Brevin Knight played at Stanford.
