Jimmy Butler III scored 38 points and Stephen Curry added 37 as the Golden State Warriors earned the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference playoffs with a 121-116 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies in the play-in round on Tuesday night at San Francisco.
“It took 83 games, but we’re right where we want to be, which is back in the playoffs,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said, “and we’ve got a chance.”
Golden State will face the second-seeded Rockets in the first round of the playoffs, beginning Sunday in Houston. It was the first time the Warriors won a play-in game in four attempts.
“We have a group of guys with a lot of fight,” Butler said. “We never gave up, and we did what we’re supposed to do, finally.”
Curry drained six 3-pointers and hit all 13 of his free-throw attempts to help the Warriors hold off Memphis.
“That’s a Batman if I’ve ever seen a Batman,” Butler said of Curry. “Always coming to save the day. You’re never out of any game. More than anything, he’s so poised and so calm.”
The Grizzlies will host either the Sacramento Kings or the Dallas Mavericks on Friday for the No. 8 playoff seed. The Kings and Mavericks play their play-in game on Wednesday night.
Desmond Bane made five treys and scored 30 points for Memphis, and Ja Morant added 22 points despite missing some time in the second half due to an ankle injury. Jaren Jackson Jr. had 18 points, Zach Edey amassed 14 points and 17 rebounds and Santi Alamda also scored 14 for the Grizzlies, who trailed by 20 in the second quarter.
Edey made two free throws with 14.3 seconds left to pull the Grizzlies within 117-116. Curry hit two free throws with 5.4 seconds left to push the lead back to three.
After a timeout, Aldama didn’t inbound the ball and was called for a violation. Curry was fouled again with 3.4 seconds left and made both free throws to seal the game.
“Desmond was the first option on that (inbound),” Memphis interim coach Tuomas Iisalo said. “There was a small window for that. I think Jimmy Butler made a small defensive error and (Golden State teammate Kevon) Looney was on top of it and did a good job. … That was the window to throw the pass, and we didn’t – and, after this, they were in perfect position to take out the second options.”
Gary Payton II had 12 points and Quinten Post added 11 for Golden State, which shot 45.9 percent, including 15 of 43 (34.9 percent) from 3-point range.
The Grizzlies made 48.8 percent of their attempts — 12 of 26 (46.2 percent) from behind the arc.
Memphis trailed by 12 at halftime before making a spirited run in the third quarter.
Morant converted a three-point play as Memphis crept within 82-81 with 4:25 remaining in the period, but Morant hurt his right ankle on the play when he landed on Buddy Hield’s left foot. After Morant sank the free throw, the Grizzlies fouled on purpose to get Morant out of the game.
Memphis scored the first five points of the final quarter on a 3-pointer by Bane and a hoop by John Konchar to go up 96-94, its first lead since the opening quarter.
Morant returned with the game tied at 96 and 9:26 remaining.
Butler had 21 first-half points and Golden State led 67-55 at the break. Morant had 15 in the half for the Grizzlies.
Curry drained a 3-pointer and converted a four-point play during a 9-0 push as Golden State went up 55-35 with 6:53 left in the half for its largest advantage of the game.
–Field Level Media
