Dillon Brooks calls series loss 'motivation', says Grizzlies are 'coming' for Warriors in future

SAN FRANCISCO — After the Memphis Grizzlies bowed out of the postseason with a 110-96 loss to the Golden State Warriors in Game 6 of their conference semifinals series, Memphis forward Dillon Brooks said that the Grizzlies are hot on the trail of the Warriors.

«We're young and they're getting old,» Brooks said. «They know that we are going to come every single year.»

Brooks, 26, is the eldest of the Grizzlies' top eight scorers this season, during which the upstart Memphis squad won 56 games and finished with the West's No. 2 seed.

After seven consecutive postseason appearances during the 2010s with their «Grit 'n' Grind» squad, the Grizzlies began to rebuild in 2018 around a younger core. Over the past four drafts, Memphis has added Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., Desmond Bane and Brandon Clarke to a roster that included Brooks.

The Grizzlies lost their star third-year point guard Ja Morant following their Game 3 loss to the Warriors in San Francisco during which Morant suffered a bone bruise to his right knee. The Grizzlies responded valiantly, leading the Warriors at Chase Center for most of Game 4, then thrashing them in Game 5 at Memphis, when they led by as many as 55 points and won by 39.

«A hundred percent,» Brooks said when asked if Morant's presence for the duration of the series might have changed the outcomes of Game 4 or 6. «Ja is one of the best point guards in this league — you guys know that — obviously it would change, but we made do with what we had.»

On Friday, Memphis fought Golden State neck-and-neck until the game's closing minutes, when a late shooting spurt by the Warriors vaulted them to the 14-point victory.

«This is good motivation, good learning, playing against two of the best shooters in