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Jimmy Butler III and Stephen Curry responded by trying to shoot the Golden State Warriors into the playoffs, and they succeeded on Tuesday night, beating the Memphis Grizzlies, 121-116, and earning the seventh seed in the long and winding Western Conference postseason bracketing. The victory, part of the N.B.A. play-in tournament, means the Warriors will face the Houston Rockets in a best-of-seven first-round series beginning Sunday.

Butler had a monster game with 38 points, seven rebounds and six assists. A player with a reputation for clutch performances in high stakes games, “Playoff Jimmy” lived up to his moniker, making impactful plays at both ends of the floor. His energy helped relieve some pressure on Curry, who also had a huge night, scoring 37 points. Curry hit crucial shots late, including a baseline three-pointer with under two minutes to play, and another from the left wing with one minute remaining. He then added two important free throws with 5.4 seconds remaining to seal the victory.

The Grizzlies had one last opportunity to tie the game, but Santi Aldama failed to get the ball inbounds in time, resulting in a five-second violation that ended Memphis’s chances. Desmond Bane scored 30 points for Memphis, while Ja Morant added 22. The Grizzlies advance to face the winner of the Mavericks-Kings matchup for the final West playoff spot.

But the Golden State victory was not buoyed merely by star power, but solid team play. Butler turned in one of his best games since joining the Warriors at the trade deadline, making 12 of 20 shots and 12 of 18 free throws. It was his second straight game with 30 or more points and his highest output with the team. His aggressive play, particularly in important stretches, kept the Warriors in control even as Memphis mounted multiple runs.

Butler brought it back Golden State’s way with a steal and a dunk as Memphis started to hit its stride in the third quarter. Morant gave the Grizzlies a scare when he rolled his right ankle after stepping on Buddy Hield’s foot. In spite of the injury, he converted a three-point play that cut Memphis to within one point for a spell. Jaren Jackson Jr. had 18 points, while Zach Edey had 14 points and 17 rebounds. Edey hit two clutch free throws with 14.3 seconds left, but that wasn’t enough to change the course of the game.

Curry had it worse than his 52-point explosion against the Grizzlies’ defense earlier in the month. He went 9-for-22 from the field while enduring ongoing defensive pressure, especially from Scotty Pippen Jr., who fouled out. Curry never lost his nerve and he also never wavered in the game fixture when it still counted. He also collected eight rebounds and added four assists.

The game included numerous strong opening quarter by the Warriors highlighted by a run aided and abetted by Butler. He participated in four consecutive scoring plays, beginning with an assist to Gary Payton II for a backdoor dunk, followed by an alley-oop to Quinten Post for a three, and then a three-point basket and a traditional three-point play. Butler did not appear to be dealing with pain from the quadriceps injury he suffered in the Warriors’ previous game against the Clippers.

This victory meant that Golden State, a team that previously had never won a series in the play-in tournament before Tuesday, would take on the Memphis Grizzlies in an elimination game for the eighth and final playoff spot. Their seasons came to an end in both 2021 and 2024 during play-in games, including a gut-wrenching overtime defeat by Memphis at Chase Center in 2021. That history provided extra motivation for some veterans like Curry and Draymond Green, who were eager to not experience an early exit again.

The Warriors had wanted to avoid the play-in tournament entirely but that idea went out the window when they dropped their last regular-season game in overtime to the Clippers. That loss was their third at home in the final week of the season, and it also left their playoff path uncertain. But with this victory, they’ve secured their spot and now turn their attention to the coming series against Houston.

Golden State’s play indicates they are peaking at the right time. With Butler playing as well as he is next to Curry, they have a real dynamic duo to ride into the playoffs. Their resilience, chemistry and collective playoff experience could make them a dangerous foe for any team in the West.

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And if you haven’t filed your taxes for 2025 yet, you’re cutting it close. Tax Day is fast approaching, and if you don’t know the status of your refund — or if you’ll get one — now’s the time to find out. With the deadline approaching, there’s a lot to know about the key dates, how to ask for extra time if you need it and how long you could wait for a refund, according to the Internal Revenue Service, which anticipates that nearly 140 million Americans will file taxes in 2023.

Your taxes are due on Tuesday, April 15, 2025. When April 15 falls on a weekend or legal holiday, the deadline carries over to the following business day.” The deadline is extended to June 16, 2025, for Americans overseas. The timing matters, whether you’re filing electronically or mailing your return. For electronic submissions, your time zone and the date and time of your submission are what the IRS relies on to decide whether your return was timely filed. If you’re mailing a paper return, it must be properly addressed, postage must be paid, and the return must be postmarked on or before the due date.

If you are not quite ready to file by the deadline, the IRS has several options for requesting an extension. One is to file online for an automatic extension, using IRS Free File, which is open to everyone, no matter their income. Then there’s the traditional method of sending in Form 4868 — the Application for Automatic Extension of Time to File. You can also submit it via IRS e-filing partners or with assistance from a tax pro. When completing this form, estimate what you owe in taxes and then subtract any payments you made over the course of the year. Third, you can pay your estimated tax due online using one of the IRS payment options and check the box you are filing for an extension. This approach means you don’t have to file a separate extension form — and you’ll receive a confirmation number showing that the extension was granted.

There’s some good news for those living outside the United States: if you are a U.S. citizen or resident alien living abroad as of the original tax filing deadline, you’re entitled to an automatic two-month extension without filing anything.

Once you file your taxes, you’ll likely be wondering when your refund will arrive. The “ Where’s My Refund? tool. To access it, you’ll need your Social Security number or individual taxpayer ID number, your filing status and the exact refund amount on your return. Once you enter the information, the system will tell you if it received your return, if your refund has been approved or if it has been sent. When your refund is issued, it can take up to five days to appear in your bank account, or several weeks if you’re waiting for a check in the mail.

For the most part, the IRS issues refunds in a reasonably timely manner — most of them in less than three weeks if you filed electronically. But they warn taxpayers not to count on receiving their refunds by any date, particular if the funds are intended for either a large purchase or an important payment to make. If additional review is required, some returns may take longer to process.

There are a number of reasons your refund might be delayed. The IRS says common reasons for such letters include an error or missing information on the return, complications arising from identity theft or fraud, or certain adjustments to the child tax credit or the recovery rebate credit. Delays may also affect taxpayers who file for the earned income tax credit or the additional child tax credit in some cases. If you filed Form 8379 — called the Injured Spouse Allocation — the review process will likely take longer, too. And even once the IRS sends your refund, it can take a few extra days depending on how your bank or credit union processes everything.

Filing your taxes doesn’t need to be stressful, but with the deadline looming, you should definitely not wait until the last minute. Whether you need more time or only you’re just waiting for your refund, figuring out how the process works and acting correctly now can help prevent you from pulling your hair out later.

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