Jimmy Butler delivered a vintage postseason performance to lift the Golden State Warriors past the Memphis Grizzlies 121-116, sealing the seventh seed in the Western Conference and a first-round clash with the Houston Rockets.
Butler, who arrived at the trade deadline, was electric on both ends, dropping 38 points along with seven rebounds and six assists in his highest-scoring game since joining Golden State. With Stephen Curry facing relentless pressure, it was Butler who took control, hitting clutch shots and energising the Warriors when they needed it most.
Curry still managed 37 points, adding eight boards and four assists, including back-to-back threes in the final two minutes to keep the Grizzlies at bay. His pair of free throws with 5.4 seconds left iced the game, and a five-second inbound violation on Memphis ended their final hope.
Desmond Bane led the Grizzlies with 30 points, while Ja Morant added 22 despite rolling his ankle in the third quarter. The loss sends Memphis into a do-or-die clash at home against the winner of Dallas vs. Sacramento for the final playoff spot.
Prior to this game, Golden State’s stars had never won a play-in game. But with Butler stealing the spotlight, the Warriors looked ready to make another deep run.
