Curry, Butler Lift Warriors Over the Grizzlies and Into the Seventh Seed

Before the first West play-in game the Warriors and Grizzlies seemed to be destined for a tight, gritty matchup.

Both teams looked even on paper, rely on their stars, and play an up-tempo fast style of basketball that puts the defense on their heels. That’s why things went as expected.

(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

The two franchises clashed in what became a tough game that went down to the wire

The stars showed up for both teams, the benches played critical supporting roles, and each squad limited their mistakes as the game went on.

Even so, someone had to lose

The Warriors, due to their high-end talent and home court advantage, ended up on top. The Grizzlies will get to fight another day, but Golden State now has their eyes set on the next round.

Down to the Wire

The Warriors, at home in front of their home crowd, came out hot. They scored early, ran their offense well, and went up six by the end of the first quarter.

They continued that high play into the second quarter by extending their lead to 10 at the half.

While it seemed that early momentum would be too much for Memphis to handle, the Grizzlies managed to weather the storm. Rather than fold, Ja Morant and company had a huge third quarter to cut the lead to two.

They then tied the game with 9 minutes to go in the fourth

The two teams went on to trade blows down the stretch. The score remained tight until a few clutch shots, including a corner three by Curry, allowed the Warriors to go up by three in the last minute.

A tough rebound foul on Zach Edey then allowed the Grizzlies to come back and cut the lead to one with 14 seconds to go.

Stephen Curry caught the next inbound, went to the free throw line with 5 seconds to go, and knocked in both shots down to extend the lead to three.

While Memphis had one more chance, the Warriors clamped down on the in-bounds pass and forced a five second violation.

Golden State got the ball back, Curry went to the line again, hit both free throws, and sealed the deal.

Why They Signed Him

Golden State came away with their biggest win of the season thanks to a well-rounded team effort. However, as expected, they needed Jimmy Butler to get things done.

The ex-Heat star played at his usual high level, putting the team on his back and anchoring the role players at all stages of the game.

Curry had an incredible night. He put up 37 points, eight rebounds, and four assists. He also scored 15 of the Warriors final 19 points.

Even so, Golden State already showed earlier this season how tough it is to shoulder the entire team

Curry is a superstar, perhaps even the best super star, but even the top players in the NBA need some help from time to time. Against Memphis, he got it.

Butler put on an absolute clinic, and showed why the Warriors were so happy to bring him in

Not only did he play hustle defense for the entire contest, he scored 38 points, grabbed seven rebounds, and dished out six assists. That’s an elite performance that could very well push the Warriors into the later rounds.

Golden State has plenty of talent. Even so, tonight’s game showed they will only go as far as Curry and Butler can take them.

The pair don’t need big nights every game, but they need to turn it on if the Warriors have true championship aspirations.

Bring On Houston

The play-in game was a nail-biter all the way through. Memphis fought hard, but in the end the talent of Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler ended up putting the contest out of reach.

It was a tough loss, but they’ll have another chance in the coming days

For the Warriors, the stage is set.

Golden State will take the seventh seed and face the Rockets in the next round. While the matchup is a seven versus a two on paper, it’s much more complex than that.

Golden State has two of the best players in the league and they’re hungry for a ring

Houston is a great team loaded with talent. They know how to win and play great inside-out basketball. That won’t scare Golden State.

Curry and Butler aren’t just talented players, they are talented players who are used to the big time and know how to win.

That resolve is incredibly important because it shows why the Rockets may have their hands full

The Warriors aren’t going to back down, and they have a veteran presence to lead them

They might not win the series, but no matter what happens in the next round Tuesday’s game against Memphis shows it’s going to be a good show.