The Golden State Warriors remain perfect with a 100-84 win over the Memphis Grizzlies, led by 29 points from Stephen Curry, who seems to be having so much fun out there you have to wonder whether he is the best player in the NBA, and doing it with an effortless way to it all as well.
The Memphis Grizzlies had their mind set on avenging their 50-point loss to the Warriors in the Oracle Arena. However, after waves of enthusiasm and smart execution carried them to a small lead in the first quarter, the Warriors defense shut them down which enabled them the comfortable lead they worked with for most of the game, right up the finish, leading them to a 9-0 start, the best in franchise history.
And that’s the scary thing about the Warriors, who seem to be more than just very good or excellent this season. They feel offended by what they’ve heard being said about them and their championship credentials. So they’re methodically destroying anyone in their way, and don’t need a special day from their players to do it. Their 16-point win on the road? Just another day in the office, while holding the Grizzlies to 34.3% from the field. The Warriors aren’t just the best team in the NBA. They have the most efficient offense and defense, pushing the game to their own untouchable level at the right moments.
While going 82-0 is impossible (it has to be, right?), the Warriors might be a team that needs to be taken in a historical context. Among the greatest champions and who knows, maybe among the greatest teams in the history of the league. Curry is a menace just by being on the court, forcing the defense to constantly think where he is when he’s without the ball, which means often having one less guy to defend the other four. Athletic, smart (or simply disciplined, it doesn’t matter) – the Warriors have a lot of other weapons than Curry, but it’s his presence and his rise to this incredible level of shot making, that makes it all possible for them.
Trying to think about all of this logically, you figure the Warriors are going to have an off night in such a way that someone is going to beat them. And they haven’t faced all of their so-called competitors yet, home & away. But seeing this team perform with such efficiency, excellence and ruthlessness without having their head coach even be on the sidelines says a lot about the kind of players they have, and how special this team is, even when comparing it to the best NBA teams in history.