The Golden State Warriors are back in the playoffs, and perhaps more united than ever, after a thrilling 121-116 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA Play-In Tournament.
Behind dominant performances from Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler, the Dubs locked in the seventh seed and a first-round matchup with the Houston Rockets, starting Sunday night.
Butler’s tribute to Steph Curry goes viral
The turnaround at the Warriors has been dramatic.
On January 26th, Golden State sat at 22-23, clinging to fading playoff hopes.
Everything changed when the Warriors acquired Jimmy Butler from the Miami Heat in early February.
Despite a tumultuous season marked by multiple suspensions, Butler has proven to be the spark Golden State needed, averaging nearly 18 points across 30 regular season games.
On Tuesday night, Butler poured in 38 points while Curry added 37, combining for 75 of the team’s 121 points.
But it wasn’t just the stats that caught fans’ attention, it was Butler’s postgame tribute to his star teammate that stole the spotlight.
“That we got a hellified Batman in Steph,” Butler told NBA on TNT’s Allie LaForce.
“And we just got a group of guys that got a lot of fight and never give up, and we did what we were supposed to do finally.”
Butler took the comparison a step further at the podium, saying, “I think any team has a chance with me on it. But I know every team has a chance with Steph on it. I get to play Robin. That’s my Batman.”
Soon after the win, Butler posted a photo on Instagram wearing a custom Warriors jersey, No. 30 with “Butler III” across the back, visibly paying homage to Curry during a training session where he seemed to possess Curry’s powers draining shot after shot.
The image quickly went viral, sparking conversations across the NBA sphere about leadership, humility, and playoff chemistry.
With the Warriors now facing a young Rockets team, Butler and Curry’s partnership will be put to the test.
But if the play-in was any indication, Golden State’s dynamic duo might just have the right balance of grit and star power to make another deep run.
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