NBA Play-in Thriller: Warriors Edge Grizzlies, Magic Down Hawks

Stephen Curry's clutch performance leads the Golden State Warriors past the Memphis Grizzlies, securing a playoff spot. Meanwhile, the Orlando Magic dominate the Atlanta Hawks to book their own playoff position.

The Golden State Warriors secured a playoff spot with a thrilling 121-116 win over the Memphis Grizzlies. Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler combined for 75 points, with Curry scoring 37 and Butler netting 38 in a masterful performance. The game was a nail-biter, with Memphis rallying from a 20-point deficit to take the lead late in the game.

Buckets ⚡️

Jimmy Butler III had himself a 38-point game last night pic.twitter.com/2S4V4OfUZi

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) April 16, 2025

However, Curry took over in the fourth quarter, scoring 15 points to lead the Warriors to victory. Butler praised Curry's heroic performance, saying he “rescued” the team with his clutch shooting. The win sets up a first-round playoff series for the Warriors against the second-seeded Houston Rockets.

WARRRRIORSSSSS pic.twitter.com/3zBRjjZL8L

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) April 16, 2025

Jimmy Butler heaped praise on Stephen Curry, saying, “I'm telling you, that's a Batman if I've ever seen a Batman - always coming to save the day.” Butler added, “You're never out of any game (with Curry), he's so poised, so calm and he was a huge part of getting us the victory.” He also commended his team's resilience, stating, “And we've got a group of guys that have got a lot of fight, that never give up and we did what we were supposed to do finally.”

Memphis fell just short after a spirited second-half fightback, which lost momentum when Ja Morant rolled an ankle and was forced to sit out for several minutes. Despite Morant's return, the Grizzlies couldn't capitalize, with Desmond Bane leading the team with 30 points and Morant scoring 22 while hampered by his injury.

The Memphis Grizzlies will face the winner of the Sacramento Kings versus Dallas Mavericks play-in game for the final Western Conference playoff spot. This crucial matchup will determine the Grizzlies' next opponent in the playoffs.

PLAYOFFS BAYBEEEE

PLAY THE SONG https://t.co/BgBdb9bUdv pic.twitter.com/bAqlciQc1d

— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) April 16, 2025

In other news, the Orlando Magic secured their spot in the first round of the playoffs with a dominant 120-95 win over the Atlanta Hawks. Cole Anthony led the Magic's bench with an impressive 26 points, helping his team book their playoff position.