The Golden State Warriors captured the No. 7 seed in the postseason Tuesday, thanks to their 121-116 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.
The victory secured a first-round matchup with the Houston Rockets. After months of high-intensity basketball, the Warriors have a moment of reprieve.
"Just a sense of relief that we have something to look forward to now," Warriors star Steph Curry told ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk.
Curry tallied 37 points, eight rebounds, and four assists as the Warriors won their first play-in game in franchise history.
"It's just a reminder that it's not guaranteed," Curry said of making the postseason. "I don't care how talented you are. You look around the league, you could argue more talented teams that we have that are on the outside looking in."
Head coach Steve Kerr said, "We desperately needed to win this game and get four days (off). Our guys have basically been playing knockout games for about three weeks. One high-level game after another.
"So to get this one, it took 83 games. But we were right where we want to be, which is back in the playoffs, and we got a chance."
Among a crowded Western Conference, Golden State was forced to go on a late-season push just to qualify for the seven-versus-eight play-in game. The Warriors' 20-7 record after the All-Star break was the third-best mark in the Association.
Jimmy Butler, meanwhile, never doubted that Golden State would find itself in the postseason.
"Whenever I talk to Steph, (Draymond Green), Steve, and Mike (Dunleavy Jr.) before I even got here, I was telling them I can help," Butler said. "Now, I don't know in what manner that I can help, but we're going to make the playoffs.
"I feel like I can give any team - for sure this one - a chance to win. And they believe it, I believe it, and that's all that you can ask for."
The former Miami Heat star poured in a game-high 38 points in the win - his highest output since joining Golden State at the trade deadline and his second consecutive contest with at least 30 points.
The Warriors won the season series against the Rockets 3-2. Game 1 is scheduled for Sunday at 9:30 p.m. ET.
