The Golden State Warriors exorcised their NBA Play-In Tournament demons Tuesday night against the Memphis Grizzlies with the help of the midseason trade gift that keeps on giving: Jimmy Butler.
Butler finished with a game-high 38 points in the team's 121-116 win over the Grizzlies. The victory secures the No. 7 seed in the NBA playoffs and a first-round series against the No. 2 Houston Rockets.
Butler shot 12-of-20 from the field while notching three steals. He also set a new play-in tournament record for most free throw attempts in a game with 18 tries at the charity stripe.
After Butler's big night, his Warriors teammates praised him for how he aggressively took control of the game and showed up when it mattered most.
"Yeah, he's different," Draymond Green said. "You could just see a whole different intensity level and focus. I'm a basketball fan, so I've watched it on TV for years. To see it up close and personal, it's a real thing... There are some other nicknames out there that are not real. That one's real."
“Yeah, he’s different. You could just see a whole different intensity level and focus. I'm a basketball fan, so I've watched it on TV for years. To see it up close and personal, it's a real thing.“
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) April 16, 2025
Draymond has been mightily impressed by Jimmy Butler’s big performance. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/a9S3hDtFmM
Green is of course referring to Butler's "Playoff Jimmy" moniker that he earned for his ability to kick into another gear in high-pressure playoff situations.
Curry, who helped clinch the win with a pair of dagger threes in the final two minutes of the game, sounded mostly relieved to be back in the postseason but also expressed his respect and appreciation for his new scoring partner-in-crime.
"I never doubted it was coming," Curry said after the win. "[Butler] understands the nerves and the adrenaline and the expectations and none of that rattles him... You can tell he's a dog and a winner and loves these types of environments. And it brings the best out of him."
Butler undeniably played an integral role in helping the Warriors gain ground in the uber-competitive West during the final stretch of the regular season, and now he's stepping it up as a fearsome attacking threat in the team's sometimes annoyingly pass-happy offense. "Playoff Jimmy" arrived just in time for the Warriors this year.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Jimmy Butler’s Warriors Teammates in Awe of ‘Playoff Jimmy’ After Win vs. Grizzlies.
