Butler, Curry lead Warriors past Grizzlies, into playoffs

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.