Why Kerr thinks Warriors' loss vs. Lakers will help vs. Grizzlies

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The Warriors lost a heartbreaker to the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night in the NBA play-in game as LeBron James' incredible 34-foot 3-pointer with 58 seconds left gave LA a 103-100 win.

With the loss at Staples Center, the Warriors now have to face the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday at Chase Center with the winner earning the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference and the loser going home.

While the Lakers and Grizzlies are very different opponents, Steve Kerr does think there is one aspect of the battle with the Lakers that can help the Warriors going into Friday's showdown.

“The one thing that applies is just the size and physicality of both teams, it’s very similar. It’s a similar mindset going into the game, we call it a ‘paint game,'" Kerr told 95.7 The Game's "Damon, Ratto and Kolsky" on Thursday. "You gotta make sure that you’re boxing everybody out and hitting [Jonas] Valančiūnas or [Andre] Drummond or [Anthony] Davis or whoever it is. You can’t give up the easy ones. So the fact that the teams are relatively similar is helpful. It might be a little different if we were playing a Mike D’Antoni team that shoots 60 threes. That’s a radical turnaround. In this case, I think it’s helpful to be facing a team that’s stylistically pretty similar to the Lakers.”

The Warriors just faced the Grizzlies on Sunday, with Steph Curry going off for 46 points in a 113-101 win.

While Kerr and his staff have gone over the tape from Sunday's win, the Warriors coach doesn't think there is too much either team can do to surprise the other Friday night.

"We just watch the tape of the game as a staff, and you pick everything apart," Kerr said. "The answer is always somewhere in the middle. You can add a play or two or a scheme or a matchup, or maybe one side plays a guy who didn't play in the previous game. So there's little adjustments like that. But the other part is that you are who you are. We know they are going to go to Valančiūnas in the paint. They know we're going to go to Steph with the high screen. There' s just some nuance that can change, but we all know what's coming [Friday night.]"

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The Warriors have found a groove over the last few weeks, but still are capable of beating themselves, as was evident Wednesday night against the Lakers. The Grizzlies are a young, hungry team looking to get Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Co. a playoff taste.

It will be a fight to the bitter end. Luckily for the Warriors, they have Curry on their side.

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