5 reasons why the short-handed Memphis Grizzlies upset the Warriors in Game 2

After losing by just one point in Game 1 vs the Golden State Warriors, the Memphis Grizzlies found a way to finish the job and earn a win in Game 2 106-101.

The Grizzlies ended up being short-handed vs the Warriors in Game 2, thanks largely in part to the ejection of Dillon Brooks after a flagrant-2 foul against Golden State player Gary Payton II that was called in the first few minutes of the game.

They were also missing starting center Steven Adams, who is in Health & Safety Protocols. The Grizzlies had Desmond Bane available to play and saw him log 32 minutes, but he was very clearly a shell of his usual self.

Despite not having Brooks, not having Adams, and not having much of Bane, the Grizzlies were able to grind out a huge win to tie the series at 1-1.

Let’s take a look at how Memphis was able to pull off the upset at home against the Warriors.

No 1. No Golden State player could contain Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant

After Gary Payton II went down with an injury, the Warriors very clearly did not have a great player to matchup with Morant on offense.

They tried to stick Andrew Wiggins on him, using his larger size and wingspan to try and make life difficult for Ja Morant, but it was a futile exercise.

Ja Morant dropped an absurd 47 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists, and 3 steals. Morant was simply spectacular, doing everything that was asked of him and then some. His five made threes is tied for the second-most he ever made during the 2021-22 regular season.

Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Jordan Poole—none of them could keep Morant from scoring.