After losing to the Golden State Warriors in six games, Memphis Grizzlies guard Dillon Brooks made a bold statement about the future.
The Grizzlies think it’s their time, but the Warriors aren’t ready to relinquish the Western Conference throne just yet.
Despite losing to the Dubs in six games in the Western Conference Semifinals, Dillon Brooks has an eye towards the future. Even without Ja Morant for the final few games of this series, the Grizzlies looked like a formidable foe against an embattled Golden State team.
“They know that we’re going to come every single year,” Brooks said. “We’re young, and they’re getting old. So, they know we’re coming every single year.”
Brooks, who guarded Steph Curry admirably for most of the series, could not have been ready for this kind of response from the Dubs star.
“He’s said a lot of crazy things,” Curry told The Athletic. “He called himself a dynasty already, so you’ve got to figure. On to the next round. Western Conference finals, we’re back. Let’s goooo!”
Steph Curry: Are the Grizzlies next up in the Western Conference?
With a healthy Morant, the Grizzlies surely had a chance to take out Golden State. But once he went down — despite their best efforts — no grit and grind could answer that sort of offensive firepower that the Warriors offer on a per-game basis.
Memphis cannot and should not take competitive playoff basketball for granted, however. In a crowded Western Conference, the Grizz could just as easily take a step back in 2022-23.
While the Grizzlies seem to have the right pieces in place, they’re still a few moves away from beating a team like the Warriors. With Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green all still in their early-30’s, the Dubs remain a force to be reckoned with, as well.