Grizzlies vs Warriors Play-In Preview: Key Edges, Angles & Matchup Breakdown
Golden State made its splash at the deadline, bringing in Jimmy Butler to make a push for a top-six seed. He delivered — the Warriors went 23-7 with Butler in the lineup — but it wasn’t enough. One game short of the Timberwolves, and now they’re fighting through the play-in.
Tuesday night, they host Memphis with the No. 7 seed — and a date with Houston — on the line.
Warriors Outlook:
Butler’s been a perfect fit, averaging nearly 18/6/6, and the trio of Butler, Curry, and Draymond still has playoff equity. But at 35+ years old across the board, the extra games could wear. Still, they’re experienced, motivated, and at home.
Curry hasn’t slowed a bit — 24.5 PPG, 6.0 APG, and 311 made threes this year. When he gets in rhythm, it’s game over.
The real issue? Glass control. They got bullied on the boards 42-25 in the loss to the Clippers and now face a Memphis team that crashes hard and thrives off second-chance looks.
Grizzlies Outlook:
Memphis shook things up late, firing head coach Taylor Jenkins and handing the reins to Tuomas Iisalo. Since then, they’ve gone 4-5 and closed strong with a 132-97 win over the Mavericks behind Lamar Stevens’ 31-point outburst.
They’re scrappy. They’re physical. And most of all, they’re overlooked — and they know it. That “chip on the shoulder” mentality was loud and clear from Stevens postgame:
“We’ve got something to prove. A lot of people are counting us out.”
Season Series:
Warriors took it 3-1, but not without drama. Curry dropped 52 in their April 1 win — the only game Butler played in vs. Memphis. The Grizzlies also embarrassed the Dubs back in December, 144-93, draining a franchise-record 27 threes.
Key Angles:
Experience vs Energy: Warriors’ core has championship DNA. Grizzlies are young, aggressive, and rebounding machines.
Rebounding Edge: Memphis has a path to control tempo through extra possessions.
Star Impact: Butler has shifted Golden State’s ceiling. If Curry stays hot, they’re hard to stop.
Motivation & Urgency: Winner avoids a second play-in game. Expect a playoff-level effort from both sides.
