Nothing easy: Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler carry Warriors to thrilling play-in victory

SAN FRANCISCO The seventh-seeded Warriors entered Tuesday night s tournament at Chase Center looking to move past their wretched play-in past Facing them was a familiar foe The Memphis Grizzlies four years prior had eliminated the Warriors from the play-in It was a loss that contributed to Golden State s - record in the round in three trips To break through and outlast Memphis - Golden State followed the formula that fueled its second-half turnaround Jimmy Butler led the company in scoring with and Steph Curry made two back-breaking late -pointers to help the Warriors survive a spirited last-second Memphis push Playoff Jimmy starred at the power forward spot in Golden State s rollercoaster accomplishment one that saw star Ja Morant sustain a knee injury late in the third quarter but re-enter the battle as the Grizzlies gave Golden State everything it could handle Curry threw in a crucial points and the Warriors bench scored to clinch a first-round playoff series with No seed Houston Contest will be in Texas on Sunday Memphis will play host to the winner of Sacramento-Dallas on Friday The Warriors may have won but it was no walk in the Golden Gate Park After enjoying a lead as large as the Grizzlies cut the deficit to just four late in the third The Grizzlies endured a major blow when Morant went down holding his knee after making a floater and landing on Buddy Hield s foot with left in the third quarter He made the free throw and then left the challenge until early in the fourth period Memphis cut the deficit to just - entering the fourth quarter and took a - lead a minute into the final period on a Desmond Bane -pointer The teams traded baskets with the Warriors enjoying a - lead with five minutes remaining before Memphis cut it to just one with another Bane three The teams continued to go back and forth down the stretch but in the end it was Curry s Hall of Fame shotmaking pushed Golden State s lead to - with a minute to go The meeting was far from over though with Draymond Green fouling out and late Warrior fouls cutting the lead to - Curry hit a pair of free throws with five seconds remaining and Memphis was called for a five second violation on the ensuing possession Curry made two more free throws with seconds remaining to ice the battle Tiipoff time for the Warriors playoff opener against Houston is yet to be declared