Chapter 217: What Kind of Leader Is That?
The FedEx Forum was packed to capacity, with the arena buzzing with energy and dotted with clearly provocative signs: "Draymond is the Real Clown", "Let the Ignorant Stay Ignorant", and "Watch Your Back!"
Draymond Green's big mouth had not only fired up the Warriors but also drawn immense media attention. However, it inevitably angered Memphis fans.
Even during warm-ups, the Grizzlies' dormant competitive edge—dulled after their breezy first-round win—was reignited. The team conducted a series of high-flying dunks during pregame practice.
Han Sen, Rudy Gay, Vince Carter, Kenneth Faried—each player showcased their leaping ability, making the warm-ups look like an all-star dunk contest.
Once warm-ups concluded, the opening ceremony began, and the starting lineups for both teams were announced:
Warriors: Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Harrison Barnes, Draymond Green, Andrew Bogut
Grizzlies: Mike Conley, Han Sen, Rudy Gay, Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol
Mark Jackson showed flexibility by promoting Green to the starting lineup after his strong performance in Game 1. This adjustment added intrigue to the matchup while also firing up the Grizzlies.
Bogut won the opening tip for the Warriors, and Curry brought the ball into the frontcourt. The Warriors' first play was an off-ball action for Thompson.
Han Sen switched onto Curry, while Gay guarded Thompson. Against Bogut's screen, Gay fought over aggressively, denying Thompson any space for a three-pointer.
This was part of Dave Joerger's game plan: no open threes, allow mid-range shots if necessary.