SAN FRANCISCO _ As the Golden State Warriors get healthy, more bodies present a whole new set of challenges.
Having added three players to the lineup within the last week _ including starting point guard D'Angelo Russell and reserves Kevon Looney and Jacob Evans _ the Warriors seemed disjointed in their 110-102 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night.
With 12 players available for the first time since the opening week of the season, Golden State's offense struggled to find its rhythm and committed 15 turnovers, including 10 in the first half. There were a lot of off-target passes, frustrated pointing and missed rotations.
After falling into an early 14-point deficit, Russell's contested corner 3-pointer cut the Grizzlies' lead to single digits, 29-20, at the end of the first quarter. While Russell made the shot, the Warriors were forced into similarly tough looks most of the night, and shot only 38% overall.
Since Russell's return, the Warriors have mostly used him in an off-ball roll with forward Draymond Green running the offense. It's much different than the pick-and-roll-leaning scheme Russell led prior to missing nine games with a thumb injury, and it's been an adjustment for all parties. Russell, who has struggled to shoot the ball since coming back, went 6-for-22 for 18 points Monday.
The Warriors' best moments came in transition, when Russell located Green on a pair of drives in the second quarter: A kick-ahead on a fast break and then a no-look pass that led to a Green dunk, the last of which cut the Grizzlies' lead to three with less than five minutes to play in the first half.
However, Memphis pulled away in the third quarter, when they used a 13-1 run midway through the period to extend their lead to double digits. They maintained that lead the rest of the way. After shooting just 41.9% in the first half, the Grizzlies ended up shooting 50% overall, and scored 22 points off Warriors turnovers in the game. It is the eighth time this season the Warriors allowed their opponent to make more than half of their shots.
Alec Burks' free throws cut the Grizzlies' lead to six with 1:32 left, but rookie point guard Ja Morant's dunk ended a 6-0 run. Morant paced the Grizzlies with 26 points on 8-of-14 shooting and seven assists. Guard Dillon Brooks had 17 points and center Jonas Valanciunas logged 13 points, 10 rebounds and four assists.
The Warriors shot just 38% in the game, and were led by Burks' 18 points on 4-of-9 shooting (8-of-8 from the free-throw line). Green had 16 points on 6-of-13 shooting, five assists and three rebounds. Center Willie Cauley-Stein finished with 17 points and eight rebounds. In his first appearance since missing 21 games with an adductor strain in his left hip, Evans recorded 2 points on 1-of-4 shooting in 11 minutes.
Next, the Warriors host the New York Knicks on Wednesday at Chase Center. The Warriors will have another day of practice, while the Knicks Wednesday will be playing on the second night of a back-to-back set.
