How Warriors’ Stephen Curry gave Grizzlies player a crucial assist

The Memphis Grizzlies will be missing Ja Morant for a few more weeks but key reserve Vince Williams Jr. was able to make his season debut in the team’s NBA Cup opener. Williams Jr. and the Grizzlies got aggravated by Draymond Green’s Golden State Warriors but the reserve making a return to action got an assist from Stephen Curry in one important way.

Williams Jr. gave the Grizzlies a stat sheet-filling boost with nine points, five rebounds, four assists, and two blocks in a 123-118 loss to the Warriors. Still, the 24-year-old had to laugh when asked by Michael Wallace (Grind City Media) about the rustiest part of his game upon returning and how to best fit in with a very deep squad.

“It’s going to be conditioning first but I don’t know yet,” Williams Jr. said. “Curry helped me out tonight with getting back in shape but I’m going to figure it out.”

As for finally getting to play at full speed after spending the first month of the 2024-25 NBA season on the sidelines?

“It felt great to get out on the court again with the guys. Not my best performance but I feel like I did a good job on the defensive end trying to make it hard for (the Warriors),” Williams Jr. admitted. “We fought to the end of the game. That’s all we can ask for. My teammates accepted me with welcoming arms so it was alright.”

Warriors’ star compliments Grizzlies’ offense

The Grizzlies will focus on Zach Edey’s progress and Draymond Green’s flagrant foul but Memphis also got some compliments from the future Hall of Famer after the game. Vince Williams Jr. helped throw a different look on the floor and it almost led to a huge comeback victory against Stephen Curry’s squad.

“(The Grizzlies) are running an unconventional offense these days and to see that for the first time took a little getting used to,” Green admitted. “They came right out the gate and I was telling (the coaches) ‘Yo what they are doing is weird.’ So immediately for us as players, you lock in. You’re expecting the unexpected. In the NBA, most rotations and patterns are pretty similar but what they are doing, I haven’t seen.”

Green started giving the rest of the league a scouting report when prompted to explain his ‘weird’ comment.

“When one guy drives right, the whole thing moves right,” explained Green. “If you’re in the slot and drive right, if there is a corner man he is cutting…It’s one thing to move and replace but it does not matter what it is, does not matter who it is or the personnel, everybody is rotating. It’s just something a little different. It makes the typical help patterns a little different.”

The Grizzlies will rotate home for a three-games-in-four-days set, starting with two dates against the Denver Nuggets. One of those contests will count in the NBA Cup standings. Memphis can ill afford to drop another game in the league’s newest competitive venture. Stephen Curry’s Warriors and the New Orleans Pelicans are undefeated in the venture, and the Dallas Mavericks will be a tough out when they come to town.

Thankfully, head coach Taylor Jenkins has a funky new offense and Vince Williams Jr.’s fresh legs rejoining the rotations.