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NBA World Celebrated the Return of Playoff Jimmy Butler After Dominant First Half vs. Grizzlies

Butler helped Golden State amass a convincing lead over Memphis.
Michael Kadlick|
Butler was dominant in the first half for the Warriors.
Butler was dominant in the first half for the Warriors. | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

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Golden State WarriorsMiami Heat

The Golden State Warriors amassed a convincing 67-55 halftime lead over the Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA play-in tournament on Tuesday night, and they did so on the back of forward Jimmy Butler.

Butler, who was traded from the Miami Heat to The Bay at the league's trade deadline back in February, scored a team-high 21 points on 7 for 11 shooting, while also corralling four rebounds and dishing out four assists. The 35-year-old also tallied a steal and notched a +6 over 19 minutes played.

Despite still searching for his first NBA title, Butler has earned an esteemed reputation over the years for his consistently dominant postseason performances during his time South Beach. Though Tuesday night's contest at San Francisco's Chase Center is technically a play-in and not officially the playoffs, the NBA world took it upon themselves to welcome back the monster known as "Playoff Jimmy" on Tuesday night.

Here are some of the best reactions to Butler's first half across X (formerly Twitter):

Alongside Butler, star guard Stephen Curry poured in 15 first-half points for the Warriors while going 2 for 5 from three-point range.

With a win over Memphis, Golden State would advance to the first round of the Western Conference playoffs to take on the Houston Rockets.

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Mike Kadlick
MICHAEL KADLICK

Mike Kadlick is a senior NFL news writer for Sports Illustrated. He’s also a New England Patriots reporter for CLNS Media, where he hosts the Patriots Daily podcast and covers the beat from Gillette Stadium. Before joining SI, Kadlick worked at WEEI sports radio in Boston. He holds a master’s degree in public relations from Boston University. When Kadlick’s not covering football, he can be found running, spending time with his wife and dog, and enjoying all things pizza.

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