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Once a clash, now a meeting of relationships between Grizzlies and Warriors
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- Once a clash, now a meeting of relationships between Grizzlies and Warriors
Games between the Memphis Grizzlies and Golden State Warriors are often fierce. Battles fueled by hard fouls, lingering dislike and pure competitiveness have defined the matchup.
The past six years, two play-in clashes and a second-round playoff series shaped what players on both sides once called a rivalry.
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Many of the central figures from those showdowns are gone, though. Others — including Ja Morant , Brandon Clarke , Steph Curry and Draymond Green — were out for the Feb. 25 game.
But familiarity exists — just in a different form.
Before tipoff, Grizzlies guard Cam Spencer sat on the bench alongside his brother, Warriors guard Pat Spencer , soaking in a rare moment together. After Golden State's 133-112 win at FedExForum, Tee Morant (Ja's father) waited near the visitors' tunnel to catch up with Green, who was sidelined by a back injury.
These days, the ties between Memphis and Golden State are less about animosity and more about shared bonds.
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The Spencer brothers reunite
Family ties don't eliminate competition.
Pat Spencer holds the upper hand as the Warriors extended their winning streak over Memphis to five games. But Cam made it clear he wants the next one.
Pat finished with 12 points and nine assists. Cam had five points and two assists.
Despite playing in different time zones, the brothers rarely miss each other's games. Pat keeps up with Memphis regularly, and Cam often stays up late to watch Golden State on the West Coast. The night before this matchup, Cam had his iPad propped up at dinner with his mother, watching Pat face the New Orleans Pelicans .
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"It's that weird balance of growing up in the driveway and all those battles to actually playing against him on an NBA floor," Cam said. "It's still always a really cool moment for us and our family."
They spend "so much" time together during the offseason, Pat said — working out, hanging out and talking daily. The competitive edge from childhood remains, even as the stage has changed.
"We still compete at everything," Pat said. "But when we're not competing, we're each other's biggest fan for sure."
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The college connection
Less than a year ago, Warriors guard Will Richard and Grizzlies guard Walter Clayton Jr. celebrated a national championship together at Florida . Now they're lining up on opposite sides of an NBA floor.
They first matched up as pros when Clayton was with the Utah Jazz , but their bond runs deeper than shared minutes in Gainesville. They were roommates during their two seasons together, and their mothers remain close.
"It's special," Richard told The Commercial Appeal. "All the work we put in at Florida — seeing both of us in the league now — it's special. It makes it fun."
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Both envisioned this possibility long before it happened.
"We used to talk about it almost every day," Clayton said. "Our whole thing was if we win, most everybody on the team's goals and dreams were going to come true."
Richard scored 21 points while continuing to adjust to fluctuating roles with Golden State. Clayton, traded midway through his rookie season, finished with four points and three assists.
The stage has changed. The dream hasn't.
The unlikely connection
Jaylen Wells lingered near the Warriors' locker room roughly 30 minutes after the final buzzer. Waiting for him was Green, the four-time NBA champion.
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Wells, in his second season, said he received "great advice" from Green, particularly about navigating the ups and downs of an NBA season — something Green has experienced across 14 years.
Their relationship began during Wells' rookie season at All-Star Weekend, when he joined Green and Hall of Famer Gary Payton on a panel.
Now that he knows Green personally, Wells sees more than the version often portrayed in headlines.
"I definitely experienced that a lot in the NBA," Wells said. "Obviously with Ja Morant, knowing how great a person he is and how they portray him in media, it kind of makes you think. You definitely don't want to just look into the media and draw a conclusion on someone."
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The Grizzlies-Warriors rivalry may not carry the same edge it once did. But the connections — between brothers, former teammates and unlikely mentors — ensure the familiarity remains.
Damichael Cole is the Memphis Grizzlies beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Damichael at damichael.cole@commercialappeal.com. Follow Damichael on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DamichaelC.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Warriors vs Grizzlies highlights Spencer brothers, NBA relationships
