The Splash Brothers Are Splashing Again and the Warriors Are Back

Stephen Curry hypnotized …

… and Klay Thompson made this shot plus the foul, and Oracle was deafening throughout the Warriors’ 98-78 romp over the Grizzlies in Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals.

In a span of 72 hours, the Warriors went from down 2-1 and playing a must-win game in the Grindhouse … to up 3-2 and once again looking like the best team in the NBA.

The Warriors have been incredible defensively since the game three defeat, forcing Memphis to make perimeter shots, something the Grizzlies simply cannot do. Even with offensively-challenged Tony Allen sitting out Game 5, Memphis struggled shooting (39 percent, only 4-for-15 on three-pointers), and now its season could end Friday night.

And offensively, Golden State has woken up: After 6-for-26 clunkers from deep in back-to-back losses, this is how they’ve responded:

14-for-33 (42%) in Game 4
14-for-30 (46%) in Game 5

Gentlemen, please halt your “jump shooting team” narratives. Golden State, should it advance, will have the home court advantage against Houston or Los Angeles in the Western Conference Finals, but neither of those teams plays an ounce of defense. Smells like the Warriors in five.