Let’s talk about destiny, Dub Nation. When Jimmy Butler first landed in the Bay this February—rejected Memphis’ trade attempts like a blocked shot into the third row—nobody could have predicted we’d wind up here: a winner-take-all play-in against the franchise that’s become Golden State’s most bitter rival of the Curry era.
The Warriors (48-34) host the Memphis Grizzlies (48-34) on Tuesday in what can only be described as basketball karma so perfect it feels scripted. Both teams navigated the regular season to identical records, setting up a high-stakes elimination game between franchises that absolutely cannot stand each other.