The Golden State Warriors are officially back in the NBA playoffs after a gritty 121-116 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday night. The win secured the seventh seed for Golden State and marked their first-ever Play-In Tournament victory after previously going winless in the format.
The Warriors appeared in full control early, building a lead that stretched to 20 points. But Memphis responded with a strong third-quarter run before Golden State held firm in the final stretch.
Leading the charge were Jimmy Butler and Steph Curry, who combined for 75 points. Butler poured in 38 points along with seven rebounds and six assists, while Curry added 37 points, eight boards, and four assists of his own.
Golden State Warriors stars Jimmy Butler and Steph Curry
© David Gonzales-Imagn Images
After the game, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr praised his team’s resilience and highlighted the significance of the victory, notably mentioning the added rest Golden State now gets before facing the No. 2 seed Houston Rockets.
“We desperately needed to win this game and get four days,” Kerr said. “Took 83 games, but we're right back where we want to be in the playoffs.”
Golden State now turns its attention to Houston, setting up yet another chapter in a postseason rivalry. The upcoming series marks the fifth time in the past decade the two sides have met in the playoffs—with the Warriors holding a perfect 4-0 record in those series. The two teams split their regular season series 2-2 and will now battle it out for a spot in the Western Conference second round.
Game 1 tips off Saturday, and the Warriors will be hoping their playoff experience, coupled with their red-hot star duo, can help extend that streak against a surging Rockets team.
