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  • 5/4/2025
🔥 Playoff Thriller! Warriors vs Grizzlies | Full Game Recap & Controversial Finish (April 16, 2025) 🔥

In one of the most electrifying play-in games in recent memory, the Golden State Warriors faced off against the Memphis Grizzlies with the No. 7 seed on the line! 🏀

Stephen Curry was vintage Steph, dropping 37 points and hitting clutch shots when it mattered most. But the real story? "Playoff Jimmy" Butler made his postseason debut with the Warriors and delivered a MONSTER 38-point performance, proving why he's one of the NBA’s most dangerous playoff performers.

But it wasn’t all smooth sailing…

💥 The Grizzlies, led by Desmond Bane’s 30 points and a strong second half from Ja Morant, mounted a furious comeback. Rookie Zach Edey made his presence felt with a double-double, and the game went down to the wire.

👀 The final moments were CHAOTIC — controversial no-calls, missed fouls, and a game-sealing mistake by the referees that had fans fuming. The NBA even admitted the officiating errors in the Last Two Minute Report. Did the refs cost Memphis the game?

📺 Watch the full recap as we break down every key moment, highlight, and turning point from this wild showdown.

✅ If you enjoyed this recap, don’t forget to:
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Transcript
00:00Welcome to Jintotsky Sports, your spot for all things sports.
00:05From legendary moments in big time plays, to inspiring stories and deep dives, we bring
00:10you the content that keeps the game alive.
00:13If you love sports as much as we do, hit that subscribe button and let's get into it.
00:18Today we're looking at the game one of the Warriors vs. Rocket series, and man this one
00:22had all ingredients.
00:24Playoff nerves, superstar moments, big time defense, and a fourth quarter scare that had
00:29dubbed nation holding its breath.
00:32The game tipped off in Houston's Toyota Center, packed with fans rocking red and loud from
00:37the first possession.
00:39The Rockets came out with energy.
00:41Alpernsengen made his presence felt early, scoring in the post with his usual finesse.
00:47Hook shot up and under, soft touch.
00:50You could tell he was locked in, but the Warriors didn't waste any time adjusting.
00:56Stephen Curry started warming up quick.
00:58First, with a simple floater.
01:00Jimmy Butler, playing his first playoff game in a Warriors jersey, brought the edge.
01:06Defensively, he was in attack mode from the jump.
01:09Pressuring ball handlers, switching aggressively, and talking constantly.
01:13You could feel his impact even without big score numbers early on.
01:17The first quarter ended with Golden State leading 22-17.
01:22Not flashy, but they were already starting to tilt the momentum with solid defense and
01:28smarter execution.
01:29Second quarter is where things shifted for real.
01:32Steph started cooking.
01:34It began with a high pick and roll.
01:37He split the defenders, pulled up from 28 feet.
01:40Bang.
01:41Next possession, catch and shoot from the corner.
01:44Money.
01:45You know that look he gets when he's feeling it?
01:47Yeah, that was on full display.
01:49Brandon Podziemski stepped up huge this quarter.
01:53He hit a corner three, pulled down a couple of tough boards, and even dished out a slick
01:58dime to Looney for a layup.
02:00That rookie's confidence is something else.
02:03The Rockets, meanwhile, hit a rough patch.
02:06Jalen Green forced a couple of shots.
02:08Fred VanVleet couldn't get in rhythm, and the turnovers started piling up.
02:13Golden State smelled blood.
02:15Butler picked off a lazy pass, went coast-to-coast for a two-hand slam, and by the time the half
02:22ended, the Warriors were up 47-34.
02:26That's a 13-point lead off pure hustle, shot-making, and defensive execution.
02:32You need Oka was in that locker room telling his guys, calm down, take care of the ball,
02:36and stop letting Steph get to his spots.
02:39And credit to the Rockets, they came out with some fire.
02:42The third quarter was where Houston started to wake up.
02:45Sengen came out aggressive again, working mismatches and finishing through contact.
02:51Jabari Smith Jr. finally hit a big three, and the crowd got back into it.
02:56VanVleet found some rhythm-attacking closeouts and drew a foul, giving the Rockets a bit of
03:02life.
03:03But Golden State kept them at arm's length.
03:06Curry hit a tough runner in traffic.
03:08With Houston gaining momentum, he casually pulled up splash.
03:13Just sucked the life out of that mini-run.
03:16Huge momentum saver.
03:17The third quarter ended with Golden State still on top, 72-64, but you could feel the
03:24game tightening.
03:26This is where it got intense.
03:28The Rockets made their big push.
03:30Sengen kept battling.
03:32He hit a putback.
03:33VanVleet finally hit a three, and Jalen Green slashed through the lane for a slick finish.
03:39With just under three minutes to go, Houston had cut it to 82-79.
03:45Only three points.
03:46That place was shaking.
03:49But then, Stephen Curry happened.
03:52Curry used it, doubled back, stepped into a deep three.
03:55Killer shot.
03:56On the next trip down, Jimmy Butler took over.
03:59He straight up picked VanVleet clean on the next play, took it coast-to-coast for the
04:04layup.
04:05That was the dagger.
04:06Rockets couldn't recover.
04:08Warriors finished the job, holding on for the 95-85 win.
04:12Steph led all scorers with 31 points, shooting 12 of 19 from the field, 5 of 9 from deep.
04:21Just efficient and deadly.
04:23Butler was huge.
04:2425 points, 7 boards, 6 assists, and 5 steals.
04:28Dude impacted every part of the game, especially late.
04:33Brandon Podziemski chipped in with 14 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists.
04:39You love to see that from a rookie in his first playoff game.
04:43For Houston, Alpern Sengen was their rock.
04:4626 points, 9 rebounds, fought like crazy all night.
04:50But outside of him, it was tough.
04:53Jalen Green and VanVleet shot a combined 7 for 34.
04:57That's brutal.
04:58They just couldn't get anything going.
05:01So the Warriors grab game one on the road, take the early lead, and put the pressure on
05:06Houston heading into game two on Wednesday.
05:09The Rockets need more from their guards, plain and simple.
05:13Sengen can't do it alone.
05:15Meanwhile, Golden State looks locked in.
05:17Curry's cooking, Butler's doing it all, and the role players are stepping up.
05:22This series is far from over, but game one showed why playoff experience matters.
05:27Thanks for watching Jintotsky Sports.
05:30If that video hit home or gave you something to think about, drop a like and let me know
05:36what you think in the comments.
05:37Don't forget to subscribe for more stories that bring the heart of sports to life.
05:43Until next time, stay inspired and keep chasing greatness.

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