Hopefully, fans of the Golden State Warriors had dinner plans on Wednesday night.
If so, they likely missed a truly embarrassing and humiliating defeat for Golden State, a historic blowout at the hands of the Memphis Grizzlies.
When the dust settled, the Warriors fell 134-95 in Game 5.
That’s right, they lost by nearly 40 points in a pivotal playoff game.
Even the Warriors’ biggest stars couldn’t help the squad.
Worst +/- in a playoff game in the play-by-play era:
-45 — Andre Drummond in 2019
-45 — Klay Thompson tonight pic.twitter.com/T4Lcf0ioYH— StatMuse (@statmuse) May 12, 2022
Klay Thompson, who can sometimes be the most important guy on the floor, wasn’t doing anything for Golden State during Game 5.
He had a -45 rating, which ties with Andre Drummond from 2019 for the worst plus-minus score in a playoff game in the play-by-play era.
You know that you’re getting beaten badly when someone like Thompson is performing that poorly.
A Non-Factor
Thompson ended the game with 19 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist.
Believe it or not, Thompson was the top scorer for the team.
Jonathan Kuminga put up 17 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists while Stephen Curry only scored 14 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists.
Thompson’s lacking output was a sign that the Grizzlies had him figured out.
He couldn’t land the shots he usually does and committed two turnovers.
But the Grizzlies didn’t just neutralize Thompson, they also shut down everyone else on the team.
Draymond Green, for example, only scored 5 points and had 5 turnovers.
His plus-minus was -32, which was behind Curry’s -37.
All in all, the entire team performed poorly and looked like a complete mess on both ends of the floor.
It was a hugely encouraging win for the Grizzlies but now they need to return to the Warriors’ home court for Game 6.
The chances of Golden State performing this poorly in the next game are beyond slim.
NEXT: The Warriors Are Showing Why They Could Win The NBA Championship