The Golden State Warriors and Memphis Grizzlies have danced this dance before—only this time, the stakes feel even heavier. Tuesday night at Chase Center, the winner locks in a playoff berth. The loser? One more shot, facing the winner of Dallas vs. Sacramento in a true win-or-go-home game.
Fresh off a crushing Game 82 overtime loss to the Clippers—where a win would’ve secured the No. 6 seed—the Warriors now find themselves in familiar territory.
They’re 0-3 all-time in play-in games. This time, they’ll be hoping for a different outcome.
The Butler Effect Is Real
Since Jimmy Butler arrived, the Warriors have looked like a team that remembered who they are. Their 23-7 run to close the season wasn’t an accident—it was a culture reset.
Butler brought the edge. He brought the swagger. He brought the 28 free throws in his first two games. That downhill pressure has given the offense teeth. But it’s his defense, versatility, and refusal to blink in big moments that’s changed the equation.
The Warriors now boast one of the league’s top defensive ratings since the All-Star break, with Butler as the tip of the spear. And now, with playoff intensity setting in, “Playoff Jimmy” is right on cue.
“I don’t know how you can be any more confident,” said rookie Brandin Podziemski. “I don’t know if there’s any one person in a play-in situation that you would want on your team. Maybe Steph and we have both of them.”
— via 95.7 The Game on X
Warriors Find Their New Identity
Golden State isn’t big, but they’re nasty. The trio of Butler, Green, and Moody has anchored a switch-heavy, swarming defensive unit. They’ve leaned into small-ball again—this time not out of desperation, but design.
They’ll need every ounce of that defensive grit against a Grizzlies team still reeling after the late-season firing of head coach Taylor Jenkins. Memphis still brings size, especially on the offensive glass, but the Warriors’ identity is clear now—and it’s built around disruption, communication, and effort.
Let’s not forget Steph Curry just dropped 52 on these same Grizzlies a week ago. That memory won’t fade easily in the Memphis locker room.
Stakes Couldn’t Be Higher
This game is a pivot point.
A win, and the Warriors move on to face the red-hot Houston Rockets.
A loss, and they fall into a dangerous elimination game against the Kings-Mavericks winner—with no room for error.
Steph knows how important this moment is.
“We joked about that last week. He (Jimmy) went into the play-in packing for two months, so we would love to have that opportunity. What we can learn is we need to win. We haven’t had a good outcome [in the play-in].”
— Curry via 95.7 The Game
The Warriors have the edge in playoff reps, championship rings, and late-season momentum. Memphis? They’re scrappy. Talented. Dangerous. But tonight feels like Golden State’s to lose.
Warriors Are Healthy and Ready
The Warriors’ final injury report was clean, a rarity in a season that’s seen every key player miss time.
And despite limping postgame last week, Jimmy Butler is ready to go.
This isn’t just another game. It’s legacy, momentum, and the very soul of this Warriors season wrapped into four quarters.
They’ve got the health. They’ve got the stars. Now it’s time to remind everyone who they still are.
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Warriors Face Familiar Play-In Pressure vs. Grizzlies