We know Giants-Dodgers.
We know 49ers-Seahawks.
We know 49ers-Rams, 49ers-Cowboys, 49ers-Packers.
For a few shining years, we knew Warriors-Cavaliers, and until they missed 27 treys in a row, Warriors-Rockets. There was that little Warriors-Thunder thing, but then Kevin Durant went to the Hamptons.
Now, welcome to Warriors-Grizzlies — the new rivalry that increases the blood pressure of Bay Area sports fans.
It was one thing for the Grizzlies to loom all season long as a Western Conference threat. They took three of four from the Dubs in the regular season, and in doing so, looked to utilize a sort of youthful swagger that seemed to say “OK, Boomer” to the Warriors and their thirty-something stars, Steph, Klay and Draymond.
Warriors fans played the long game. The Dubs have been to the mountaintop three times in the last seven years, as part of a five-year run in which the squad made five consecutive NBA Finals. To the Warrior fan mindset, the Grizzlies can’t spell ‘mountaintop’, much less make a Western Conference Final.
So when the playoff draw played out, and the Warriors drew Memphis, the rules of engagement were set. Memphis would even own home-court advantage, winning 56 games to the Dubs’ 53. Those head-to-head games did matter, it turned out.
And yet, the feeling among Warriors fans, to my mind, was this: Fine. Enjoy your October win. This is the springtime. This is the playoffs. This is… different.
The Steph-Klay-Draymond Warriors, when fully healthy and properly motivated, have never lost a Western Conference playoff series under Steve Kerr.
Chew on that with your barbecue, Memphis fan.
So that was the mindset and then Game 1 happened and amid the “grit and grind” of FedEx Forum, Gary Payton II got into Ja Morant, Jordan Poole had a party, Steph locked some “stuff” up, Klay hit a big 3, the Dubs forced Ja into just enough discomfort on the final shot and… voila.
Strength in Numbers, 2022-style. Game 1, in the bag. Home court advantage, wrested away. On to Game 2.
And then — the Dillon Brooks Incident.
Everything changed.
Rivalry, ratcheted.
It’s one thing to have Brooks dismiss Andre Iguodala earlier this year with his “Send him back to the Warriors” riff.
It’s an entirely different thing to have him clobber Gary Payton II on the head while Payton was in the air, defenseless. As you now know, Payton broke his elbow. He’s out for a month, at least.
The rivalry went from upstart-contender-takes-on-proud-champion to Steve Kerr shouting F-bombs at the Memphis bench, and then after the game issuing his Kerr Doctrine: Dillon Brooks “broke the code.”
So now the Memphis Code-Breakers come to Chase Center, and a rivalry is alive.
It may be recency bias, and the Jock Blog Army may rise to dismiss this hot take, but I’d venture to say that the Dillon Brooks Incident has now put the Grizzlies in contention as the Warriors’ No. 1 rival of the Curry Era — in terms of visceral dislike.
Perhaps I am forgetting how much you all loathed and wanted to beat LeBron and Kyrie, and I’m willing to lay down my arms is that is the case. But neither LeBron nor Kyrie took out a player like Payton, who embodies everything the Kerr Warriors are about — that ‘Strength in Numbers’ mentality, and like Curry and Thompson, the son of an NBA great who understands how to play the game.
The Warriors and Grizzlies have that 2015 history, as well. Back then, the Grizz took a 2-1 series lead before Steph had his famous “Come to Beale Street” moment and met Draymond and David Lee out for a meal of commiseration, which seemed to reset him and launch the Dubs on their way to the title.
So there’s history. There’s woofing. And there’s the Dillon Brooks Incident.
Add them to the lore of Bay Area rivals. Move over, Seahawks. The Memphis Code-Breakers are coming to town.