NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS: WARRIORS VS GRIZZLIES

May 7, 2022

Taylor Jenkins

Memphis Grizzlies

Game 3: Postgame

Warriors 142, Grizzlies 112

Q. What did you notice that led to Golden State kind of having their way offensively and against your defense?

TAYLOR JENKINS: Yeah, they adjusted after Game 2. We stuck with the same game plan. They made the adjustments, and they made the plays.

Q. It looked like Ja left early with some type of injury or limp or something. What can you tell us about that?

TAYLOR JENKINS: Yeah, he's getting evaluated now. Nothing further. We just watched the replay. He was going after a dribble and Jordan Poole actually grabbed his knee and yanked it, which kind of triggered whatever happened, so I'm actually going to be very curious to see what happens after that.

Q. Taylor, what led to your decision to go with your regular big man rotation and not put Steven Adams in the rotation today?

TAYLOR JENKINS: Yeah, I thought X played well last game. Steven has been trending in good direction. I thought X was good last game, so kind of went off of that gut.

Q. Taylor, defensively what was the main problem for you guys tonight, and what do you have to look at before Game 4?

TAYLOR JENKINS: Yeah, I thought they did a good job adjusting. They had been scoring points in the paint, but we had better crowds there. Our rotations weren't great tonight. They had too many points in the paint. Obviously they shot it really well from the three-point line. They just got loose everywhere. They just broke us down too much. We'll watch the film and get better.

Q. Do you think the league needs to look at that play?

TAYLOR JENKINS: I mean, I'll talk to Zach and we'll take it from there.

Q. In the first half you guys were at least -- the Warriors were making a bunch of shots but you guys were getting turnovers and kind of getting out on the run. Second half not as much. I was curious what you thought you did well to at least be able to get those takeaways in the first half?

TAYLOR JENKINS: Just played our normal basketball. I thought they made the adjustments in the second half. They were setting better screens, getting open looks. Just didn't allow us to get the turnovers.

Q. After the early run by Jaren, he was playing well, Z seemed to be playing well, but they just couldn't get anything going. Was it what they adjusted to, or just shots weren't dropping for them?

TAYLOR JENKINS: They went zone and that threw off our rhythm.

Q. When you say Jordan grabbed his knee and yanked it, are you saying he did it on accident, on purpose?

TAYLOR JENKINS: We'll watch the film. I don't know.

Q. Well, you know --

TAYLOR JENKINS: I'm saying that it happened, it triggered it.

Q. But are you saying -- I'm asking -- are you saying that he did it on purpose or --

TAYLOR JENKINS: I don't know what goes through you guys' head. No, I didn't say that it went on purpose. I said the play happened --

Q. No, which one is it?

TAYLOR JENKINS: There was a grab. I'm just curious what happened.

Q. In terms of just collecting yourselves after a game like this where you lose by 30, obviously things didn't go your way, how do you hope this group responds? What will these next couple days be like?

TAYLOR JENKINS: Do what we've done all season long. Watch the film, get better. I thought as a team there was moments where we played well. Plenty of moments where we just had too many breakdowns. Some of us individually we've got to play better. I've got to coach better. But take tomorrow as an opportunity to watch the film as we've all season long, and come back and try to find a way to get better, make the adjustments that we need to make. They made the adjustments after Game 2 and it paid off for them. We'll find a better game plan, go out and execute and play better.

Q. Are you noticing anything that they're doing to take away the guys around Ja Morant this series? Or is that just how things have played out?

TAYLOR JENKINS: I think Ja had a heck of a game. They were swarming. I don't think their game plan really adjusted. They were throwing a lot of different bodies at him. I thought their rotations were really good tonight, so like when we did kick it out there was always a body closing out, which we were a little indecisive. We've got to make quicker decisions, whether it's drive or shoot.

Q. Obviously this game didn't go you guys' way, but Ja has just been spectacular the last three games. What have you seen out of him, and does he keep surpassing your expectations night after night?

TAYLOR JENKINS: Yeah, he's seen so many different coverages over this playoff run right now. I just give him a lot of credit just where he's playing aggressive, playing with force, getting to his spots on the floor.

He's got a lot that's on his shoulders right now, and I think he's rising to the occasion. He's playing brilliant basketball right now. It's taking a lot of effort out of all of us, but I think he's playing great.

Q. They were able to get some lay-ups tonight where just kind of the threat of the three kind of makes it difficult on you guys' perimeter defenders of okay, do I help, do I stick, and it seemed like you guys wanted to defend against the three. How ideally would you want to defend those scenarios where like Curry gets middles so that you're not giving up open lay-ups but you're not just relenting to their three-point shooting?

TAYLOR JENKINS: Yeah, more like we did in Game 1 and Game 2. As I said, our rotations weren't there tonight. Those were the breakdowns. We can't have that.

Q. Steven Adams didn't play but then got in the game late. Was not playing him earlier strictly a basketball decision, or were you concerned about his conditioning after the long layoff?

TAYLOR JENKINS: Mostly basketball. As I said, X I thought played really well and obviously we'll watch the film and see if I think Steven is ready, and we'll make the adjustment if we need to going into Game 4.