SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Nobody had to remind Draymond Green of Golden State's struggles in the NBA play-in tournament, because those results are still plenty fresh.
Yet this time, Green is thrilled the Warriors have the added advantage of Jimmy Butler on their side to help them try to reach the first-round playoffs.
“Man, we’ve got a lot of really good basketball players around this locker room key in what we’re trying to do,” Butler said. “I like the confidence he has in myself. I also have the same amount of confidence. I know that I and we have a job to do, and I know that we’re capable of doing it, so play-in here we come.”
After a 124-119 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Clippers in a regular-season finale for the ages on Sunday, Green, Butler and Stephen Curry will have to take their team down the tougher road once again.
The Warriors face the Memphis Grizzlies in a play-in game Tuesday night at Chase Center for the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference playoffs. Beating the Clippers would have earned Golden State the sixth seed.
“We've got to turn the page quickly and move on to that game, so our guys will have tomorrow off and come in and have a walk-through on Tuesday and ready to roll,” coach Steve Kerr said. “A great opportunity there to win a game and get into the playoffs, which has been our goal this whole time.”
Butler had 30 points on 12-for-20 shooting and nine assists playing 48 minutes against the Clippers.
“He does what the game calls for,” Curry said of Butler.
Though Butler knows there is little room for error this time of year.
“It didn't end the way that we wanted it to end so we've got to figure something out, myself included, and hit the ground running come Tuesday,” Butler said. “It felt good to have the ball and make all the right decisions.”
The Warriors were eliminated by the Sacramento Kings 118-94 in the play-in tournament as the No. 10 seed last year. In 2020-21, Golden State lost to the Lakers 103-100 before having its season ended by the Grizzlies in a 117-112 defeat.
“We haven't fared well in these play-in games, so we've got to make sure we're locked in and ready to go,” Green said.
In 2023, Butler and Miami lost a play-in game to Atlanta but bounced back to beat the Bulls thanks to his 31 points — and the Heat wound up making an NBA Finals run before losing to Denver.
“We joked about that I think last week that he went into the play-in packing for two months,” Curry said. “We’d love to have that opportunity.”
Given Butler's remarkable record of brilliant performances on the playoff stage, Curry and Green know Golden State can lean on that.
“I’ve been excited since the trade deadline because of that,” Curry said of having Butler on the big stage.
The OT game Sunday certainly resembled a playoff atmosphere. Butler has helped turn around the Warriors since being acquired at the trade deadline.
“We'll just draw on having Jimmy as a whole,” Green said. “You saw the effort he put out there tonight. That's it. Not necessarily the experience in the play-in or any of that, just riding our aces.”
Butler, for one, can't wait.
“We're right where we want to be.”
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA
Janie Mccauley, The Associated Press
