The narratives have began to shift regarding the Warriors’ 2022 NBA Finals run.
After a disastrous 134-95 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals, one in every of the worst playoff losses within the history of the franchise, the Warriors’ struggles against Memphis have only intensified.
While maintaining a 3-2 series lead, the Warriors can put away the pesky Grizzlies with a win at Chase Center on Friday in Game 6. If Golden State were to advance, they’d face the winner of the Phoenix Suns and Dallas Mavericks semifinal series before any potential Finals series against one in every of the Eastern Conference teams. No matter who they play in the event that they were to advance, the general public’s support of this Warriors team is waning.
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Patrick Beverley joined “NBA Today” on Thursday morning, where he went to bat for the Warriors and defended them against fellow analysts Richard Jefferson and Kendrick Perkins.
“You simply get blown out at a historic level — at one cut-off date they were down by 55 [points],” Jefferson said. “That is not the Warriors team that I even have grown to know, respect and at times you may have to fear them, that is not the identical team.”
“I believe we’ve to maneuver forward because it is not the identical team and we won’t expect them to be the team of the past,” Perkins added. “They’re who they’re. But after I have a look at the Warriors’ team, they’re in trouble. And I’m not talking about on this series. Their goal is to win the championship and the brand of basketball that they’re playing without delay, in the event that they occur to go against the Phoenix Suns next round in the event that they go on to beat the Dallas Mavericks, they may get swept playing the way in which that they’ve played.”
Beverley, who faced off against the Warriors 3 times this season in 4 total matchups against Golden State, is acquainted with the weapons the Warriors have — the exact same weapons that won three championships in five straight Finals appearances, not to say a few young, rising stars added to the combo.
“That team winning the championship, I do not know what y’all on,” Beverley said. “That is the Golden State Warriors we’re talking about, man … that boy over there [Jordan] Poole can hoop. This young boy [Jonathan] Kuminga … the boy can hoop.
“They are going to play whoever within the Eastern Conference for the championship.”
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The Warriors are all too acquainted with the surface noise and so they’ve heard the criticism before. After such an unsightly game on Wednesday night, they haven’t any other selection but to plan a recent game plan and shut out a hungry Grizzlies team.
