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For all that Jimmy Butler III brings to the Warriors, and his impact is immeasurable, they were reminded Tuesday night that the duration of their NBA playoff run will be dictated mostly by Stephen Curry.
Butler was superb in a 134-125 win over the always plucky Memphis Grizzlies. In playoff environment at FedExForum, he delivered an efficient 27 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals. He was plus-6 over a team-high 38 minutes.
Butler was, to be clear, a fantastic co-pilot.
Curry, however, was at his cosmic best in Golden State’s most consequential game against an opponent battling them for playoff positioning. When the final buzzer sounded, Curry submitted a 52-point performance that surely was heard around the NBA.
“The guy is 37 years old,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr told reporters after the game. “It’s incredible. Fifty-two points, with people draped all over him, all game long. The conditioning, the skill, the audacity, the belief. It’s just incredible to watch Steph at work. I can’t believe he’s still doing this at this age, but he’s put the work in, and he’s still got it.”
Curry moved past the late, great Jerry West into 25th place on the career scoring list. His 19 first-quarter points ensured a strong start for Golden State. His 12 3-pointers fractured the Memphis defense for his teammates. His eight assists kept them alert and active. His five steals were a pointed message to his team and to the Grizzlies. His 10 rebounds were a presentation of heart.
“You’ve got to remember to play the game when you’re sitting there watching him do stuff like that,” Moses Moody said. “He’s coming off those screens, finding any inch of space, pulling and knocking it down. That’s a special performance from a special player.”
The Warriors approached this game with the proper mentality, treating it as a playoff game – because it was in a significant way. They were, at tipoff, in sixth place in the Western Conference, right behind Memphis. The victory flipped their positions.
Curry understood the assignment. He scored only two points, shooting 0-of-7 from…
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Publish date : 2025-04-01 22:11:00
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