Butler Shines as Warriors Secure Playoff Spot Against Grizzlies
SAN FRANCISCO – Jimmy Butler III delivered an electrifying 38 points, alongside seven rebounds and six assists, powering the Golden State Warriors to clinch the seventh seed in the Western Conference playoffs by narrowly defeating the Memphis Grizzlies 121-116 on Tuesday night in the play-in tournament. “Playoff Jimmy,” displaying his magic on the grandest stage, tirelessly created scoring chances and relieved some pressure from Stephen Curry, who sank a crucial baseline 3-pointer with 1:50 remaining and another from the left wing with just a minute left. Next up for Golden State is a best-of-seven first-round series against the Rockets, with Game 1 on Sunday in Houston.
As the clock ticked down, Curry calmly sank two free throws with 5.4 seconds to go, sealing the Warriors’ victory. The Grizzlies, trying to mount a last-minute comeback, faltered when Santi Aldama failed to execute an inbound pass before the five-second mark. Desmond Bane contributed 30 points for Memphis while Ja Morant added 22, as the team prepares to host the victor of the Mavericks-Kings clash on Wednesday night in Sacramento to contend for the eighth playoff seed.
Although Memphis gained momentum midway through the third quarter, Butler swiftly regained control, thrilling the crowd with a steal and a slam dunk. He shot an impressive 12-for-20, marking his second consecutive 30-point game and highest-scoring performance since joining the Warriors at the trade deadline. Butler also capitalized on 12 out of 18 free throws, continuing his stellar form at the line this April.
Even after a hard fall that rolled his right ankle following a foul by Quinten Post, Morant showed resilience by completing a three-point play, pulling the Grizzlies within one at 82-81. Jaren Jackson Jr. tallied 18 points, with Zach Edey adding 14 points paired with a robust 17 rebounds, also netting crucial free throws with 14.3 seconds on the lock.
Stephen Curry, despite facing relentless defense, managed eight rebounds and four assists, shooting 9-for-22. The Grizzlies, determined to contain Curry after a previous 52-point outburst in a victory earlier this month, focused their efforts on him, compelling Butler to take over. Butler confidently orchestrated four consecutive scoring plays to elevate the Warriors to a 31-18 lead in the first quarter by facilitating a Gary Payton II dunk, dishing to Post for a three-pointer, and scoring himself both beyond the arc and from the free-throw line.
Unfazed by a bruised left quadriceps muscle after a collision with the Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard on Sunday, Butler played without restriction. Though aiming to bypass the play-in game, the Warriors fell to the Clippers in a heart-wrenching overtime loss in their regular-season finale, making it their third home defeat that week. Previously, Curry, Draymond Green, and the Warriors held an 0-3 record in play-in games from previous seasons, notably being ousted by the Grizzlies at Chase Center with a 117-112 overtime defeat in 2021.