The Golden State Warriors punched their ticket to the postseason with a gritty 121-116 win over the Memphis Grizzlies. Now, they’re preparing for a first-round clash against the Houston Rockets. In the lead-up to the series, Stephen Curry emphasized the importance of preparation and precision as the four-time NBA champion continues his pursuit of a fifth title.

Golden State had to overcome a challenging Play-In matchup against the Grizzlies to avoid an elimination scenario. Thanks to stellar performances from Curry and Jimmy Butler, who scored 37 and 38 points respectively, the Warriors secured their spot in the NBA playoff picture as one of the Western Conference’s eight teams vying for the title.

The Rockets have proven to be a tough opponent, notably in their most recent regular-season victory over the Warriors, a 106-96 contest. In that game, Houston forced Golden State into 20 turnovers, dominated the boards, and limited Curry to just three points.

For Curry, the key to success in this playoff matchup lies in meticulous preparation. “It is just attention to detail,” Curry explained via NBC Sports Bay Area after the win. “You just flip the book on Houston and their patterns. You want to truly understand, a ‘know them better than they know themselves’ kind of vibe. Just be as prepared as possible. It’s fun because you have everybody locked in”.

Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors reacts after making a basket against the Memphis Grizzlies in the second half of the NBA play-in tournament game. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

“What we enjoy about playoff series is it’s just one opponent, and it’s a chess match from before the first game and in between every game, just trying to find the subtle changes or game plan or discipline that can help just win four games,” he added.

Curry relieved after securing playoff spot

This victory marked the Warriors’ first Play-In Tournament success in four attempts. In the 2020-21 NBA season, they were eliminated after consecutive losses to the Lakers and Grizzlies, and the following season, they fell to the Kings, missing the postseason once again. Reflecting on finally breaking through, Curry shared a sense of relief: “Just a sense of relief that we have something to look forward to now”.

Kerr praises ‘desperate’ win

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr acknowledged how crucial it was for the team to avoid an additional knockout game and secure some much-needed rest. “We desperately needed to win this game and get four days [off],” Kerr admitted.

“Our guys have basically been playing knockout games for about three weeks. One high-level game after another,” he continued. “So to get this one, it took 83 games, but we are right where we want to be. Which is back in the playoffs and we got a chance”.