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Jimmy Butler stats today: 'Playoff Jimmy' arrives early in Warriors' Play-In Tournament win vs. Grizzlies

Gilbert McGregor

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Jimmy Butler stats today: 'Playoff Jimmy' arrives early in Warriors' Play-In Tournament win vs. Grizzlies image

A year ago, Jimmy Butler insisted that "Playoff Jimmy" isn't a thing. But maybe "Play-In Jimmy" is.

Just two years after leading the Heat from the Play-In Tournament to the NBA Finals, Butler was back to his ways during his postseason debut with the Warriors. The impact he made was nearly immediate.

Butler's performance was all the more impressive when considering he was hobbled near the end of Golden State's regular-season finale on Sunday. He assured reporters he would be ready to go for Tuesday's Play-In Tournament, and his performance backed those words.

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With Butler setting the tone and Stephen Curry taking over down the stretch, the Warriors were able to hold on for the first Play-In Tournaent win in franchise history to secure the West's seventh seed. Here's some of the best from Butler's showing.

Jimmy Butler stats today vs. Grizzlies

Butler didn't waste much time in the 7-vs-8 Play-In Tournament game. After Golden State fell into a quick nine-point hole, Butler was the driving force behind his team's turnaround.

After scoring 21 points in the first half, here are his numbers for the game:

  • 38 points
  • 12-20 (60.0 %) FG
  • 2-4 (50.0%) 3FG
  • 12-18 (66.7%) FTs
  • 7 rebounds
  • 6 assists
  • 3 steals

He scored 10 points (on 3-of-4 shooting), pulled down two rebounds and dished out two assists in the first quarter. The Warriors went from down nine early on to up by six at the end of the first frame.

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Butler did even more of the same in the second quarter, bringing his first-half total to over 20 points well before the halftime buzzer sounded.

The six-time All-Star showed a different level of assertiveness in the way he looked for his spots and created for both himself and others. His finishes through contact were particularly impactful as they sent the Chase Center crowd into a frenzy.

Butler's fire ignited the Warriors, who doubled their first-quarter lead to take a 12-point advantage into the break.

The 35-year-old added another 17 points in the second half to finish the game with 38 points on tidy 60.0 percent shooting from the field. He's now headed to his hometown as the Warriors will travel to Houston to begin a first-round series with the Rockets on Sunday, April 20.

Gilbert McGregor

Gilbert McGregor first joined The Sporting News in 2018 as a content producer for Global editions of NBA.com. Before covering the game, McGregor played basketball collegiately at Wake Forest, graduating with a Communication degree in 2016. McGregor began covering the NBA during the 2017-18 season and has been on hand for a number of league events.