They had to suffer, but they’re back in the NBA Playoffs. The Golden State Warriors broke the curse of three winless games in Play-In Tournament history, defeated the Memphis Grizzlies, and Stephen Curry didn’t hesitate to send a warning to all their rivals after securing the playoff spot.

The Warriors went through a rollercoaster of emotions during the 2024-25 NBA season. They started strong with a 12-3 record, leading the Western Conference, but suddenly the losses started piling up, eventually dropping them into the elimination zone.

Led by Jimmy Butler and Stephen Curry, the Golden State Warriors regained their winning spirit and clinched a spot in the 2025 NBA Playoffs after a tight 121–116 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies. And there was no better moment for “The Chef” to deliver a warning.

In a postgame press conference, Stephen Curry began by saying, “This is our first Play-In win, so for us to finally get over the hump, it’s exciting.” And when excitement runs high in Golden State, it usually signals that big things are coming.

Stephen Curry sends a warning to all rivals in the NBA Playoffs

Curry during the Warriors’ win over the Grizzlies. (Photo: Getty Images)

With the understanding that the Golden State Warriors thrive on the challenge of playing games that carry real weight, Stephen Curry issued a clear message:
“Now, with some clarity on who we’re facing in a playoff series — a great Houston team that’s had an incredible year — it’s just a sense of relief that we finally have something to look forward to and we’re excited about the challenge. (…) That’s why we’ve been talking for the last two months about how important it is to play meaningful games. And now we’ve got a series that’s going to be full of them.”

Curry’s First Message After Clinching a Spot in the NBA Playoffs

Ahead of the opening game of the series against the Houston Rockets, set for Sunday, April 20 at 9:30 PM ET, Stephen Curry celebrated the Warriors’ playoff qualification with a post that quickly racked up over 819,000 likes:
“It took us 83 games, but we did it! See you in Houston!”

Stephen Curry’s Post. (Photo: Instagram / @stephencurry30)