Draymond Green Remembers Being Caught Off Guard By Grizzlies, Claims They are Dangerous Even Without Ja Morant

After an incredible win over the Mavericks in Klay Thompson’s first game back at the Chase Center since leaving the team in the summer, the Warriors’ next assignment is an NBA Cup game against the Grizzlies.

Stephen Curry and Co. would have been the heavy favorites to win the game and Ja Morant’s injury has further tipped the scales in their favor. But Draymond Green isn’t going to take things lightly, especially after what happened last time they played Memphis without their star guard.

On The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis, the veteran forward admitted that Morant missing the game makes the Warriors the odds-on favorites to win the game.

But Green brought up the innate reaction of humans to lower their guard if there is a perceived lack of threat. He then brought up this ‘reaction’ they faced cost them heavily when they faced the Grizzlies last season. He said,

“The natural human reaction is, ‘Ja Morant is out, you put your guard down.’ But, this Grizzlies team, we played them a couple of years ago in the playoffs and the game Ja Morant missed, they beat us by 50… These guys are playing great basketball, so the challenge is you naturally let your guard down. [But] this is an NBA Cup game, you got to lock in.”

The loss Green referred to was Game 5 of the second-round series between the Warriors and the Grizzlies in the 2022 playoffs. Memphis’ led by 55 in the third quarter but took their foot off the gas late in the fourth and won 134-95.

The veteran forward has warned his teammates that the Grizzlies aren’t slouches without their star guard and could prove to be a handful if the Warriors don’t bring their A-game.

Grizzlies are a force to be reckoned with

Ja Morant is, by some distance, Memphis’ most important player and they are at their best with him in the starting lineup. However, they have several players who can up the ante in his absence.

Former Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr. is having his most proficient season on the offensive end. The forward is averaging 22.5 points, on a career-best 54.7% shooting from the field and 39.2% from beyond the arc.

The 25-year-old was already an undeniable threat on the defensive end and in the paint, but he has since turned into a near-spectacular three-point shooter, making him a nightmare to play against.

Forward Santi Almada, who is in his fourth season with the Grizzlies, is enjoying a career year. The Spaniard is averaging 13 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 3.8 assists, and has become a high-level contributor as a scorer, playmaker, and defender. Memphis had faith that he’d come good when they signed him in 2021 and he’s finally repaying it.

The story of the season for the Grizzlies has been the astronomical rise of Scotty Pippen Jr. After toiling on the Lakers’ G-League roster for two years, he joined Memphis amidst an injury crisis in January 2024 and played 21 games for the team. He signed a four-year, $9.6 million extension with the franchise and it’s shaping up to be one of the best value-for-money contracts in the league.

The guard is averaging 12.3 points, 6.2 assists, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.2 steals despite playing only 26 minutes per game. Memphis signed him to be a role player, but he has quickly established himself as the team’s sixth man and their starter in Morant’s absence.

The Grizzlies have enough talent to beat teams without their star guard, and the Warriors are fortunate they have a leader like Draymond Green, who’ll ensure that his teammates don’t take Memphis lightly.