Following the Golden State Warriors’ 126-121 heart-palpitation victory over the Memphis Grizzlies within the West’s Play-In Match on Tuesday, Jimmy Butler, as he has accomplished just about since he first stepped foot on Golden State soil, spoke of Stephen Curry with a superhero reverence.
“That is a Batman if I’ve ever seen a Batman,” Butler advised TNT after the win, which provides the Warriors the No. 7 seed within the playoff bracket.
It is true, Curry stays one thing between a mortal man and a basketball god. He completed with 37 factors, 15 of which got here within the fourth quarter together with a pair of ice-water 3s inside the ultimate two minutes of a one-possession sport.
However Butler is not any Robin. The Warriors do not have a Batman, they’ve two Batmen, and it is due to these two that not solely are they marching on to face the second-seeded Houston Rockets within the first spherical, however stay an trustworthy risk to beat any group from right here on out in any single collection.
Butler, who completed with 38 factors, seven rebounds, six assists and three steals, was extraordinary from the leap on Tuesday. The pick-his-spots endurance was nonetheless there, however as was the case within the regular-season finale towards the Clippers, Butler tapped into the way more aggressive model of himself that, for nearly as good as he is been with Golden State, everybody has been ready to see.
NBA playoff predictions: Professional picks for full bracket, with Celtics and OKC favored, Warriors, Lakers hopeful
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Butler pressured his approach downhill all night time, and reasonably than getting into the paint with one eye already in search of a kick-out, he was hell bent on attending to the rim. Reducing. Ending via contact. Dunking. Working to get the one-on-one matchup he wished after which attacking to attain first and move second. He obtained to the free-throw line 18 occasions. That’s oxygen for a Warriors offense that was approach too liable to suffocating in its personal dry spells.
Playoff Jimmy has certainly been activated as Butler mixed with Curry for 75 factors. That is quite a bit simply to get via one play-in sport, and it will not get any simpler from right here. Do not get too caught up on this concept that the Rockets do not have a go-to scorer. They’re an outright nasty defensive group with loads of guys who can put the ball within the basket. Curry might be already sweating desirous about Amen Thompson blanketing him for a six- or seven-game collection.
Just about everybody thought the Warriors would roll previous Memphis. They have been a seven-point favourite, a giant line in a sport like this, and so they barely survived even being aided by a Ja Morant damage. Already FanDuel is itemizing the Warriors as a -205 favourite towards the Rockets. As soon as once more, that’s too lopsided. The Warriors would possibly win, however there is a good likelihood it is going to take a equally Herculean effort from Butler and Curry to take action. Even which may not be sufficient.
However for now, Golden State took care of the duty at hand. The Warriors secured their spot within the playoffs and doubtless obtained the first-round matchup they most well-liked all alongside, although they actually offered out to win that last sport vs. the Clippers that will’ve resulted in dealing with the Lakers within the first spherical. The Warriors are additionally on the other aspect of the bracket from the Thunder, who’re clearly the very best group within the West and doubtless the very best group total even when the lots stay hesitant to totally acknowledge them as such.
The Warriors are nonetheless an extended shot to get to a convention finals or actually an NBA Finals. Once more, simply getting previous the Rockets may very well be a tall order. However their finest blueprint for achievement is in place. The bracket broke proper, and it is apparent that Butler, Curry and Draymond Inexperienced are nonetheless as much as the most important challenges, particularly with the best way Golden State’s younger position gamers have been stepping up.
So buckle up. As a result of should you assume Tuesday night time was intense, issues are about to get wild in what will be a murderous Western Convention playoff gauntlet.
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