Butler, Curry lead Warriors past Grizzlies 121-116 to secure seventh seed in West playoffs

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Jimmy Butler and Stephen Curry threw their arms around each other and embraced.

Playoff Jimmy in all his brilliance on the big stage took all the pressure off Curry, and now they're taking the Golden State Warriors to the playoffs.

“I know I want to win a championship so he needs, his what, this would be No. 5?” Butler said.

Butler had 38 points, seven rebounds and six assists creating opportunities on both ends at every chance, Curry scored 37, and the Warriors earned the seventh seed in the Western Conference by beating the Memphis Grizzlies 121-116 on Tuesday night in the Play-In Tournament.

Curry knocked down a baseline 3-pointer with 1:50 to go and one from the left wing with a minute on the clock then converted four free throws in the closing five seconds.

Golden State is now headed for a best-of-seven first-round series with the Rockets beginning with Game 1 on Sunday at Houston.

“It took 83 games but we’re right where we want to be, which is back in the playoffs and we've got a chance,” coach Steve Kerr said.

After a pair of free throws by Curry with 5.4 seconds left, the Grizzlies had one last chance — but Santi Aldama couldn’t inbound the ball before a five-second violation.

Desmond Bane scored 30 points and Ja Morant 22 for Memphis, which will head home to play Friday against the winner of the Mavericks-Kings matchup on Wednesday night in Sacramento to determine the eighth playoff spot.

With the Grizzlies on a roll midway through the third, Butler grabbed momentum back with a steal and dunk. He shot 12 for 20 in a second straight 30-point performance and his highest scoring game since joining the Warriors at the trade deadline. He made 12 of 18 free throws — having been 63 of 68 from the line over the previous eight games in April.

Morant went down hard rolling his right ankle when he stepped on Buddy Hield’s foot and was fouled by Quinten Post with 4:25 remaining in the third but got up and finished the three-point play to pull the Grizzlies within 82-81.

Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 18 points, while Zach Edey contributed 14 points, 17 rebounds and hit two free throws with 14.3 seconds left.

Curry had eight rebounds, four assists and shot 9 for 22 while regularly swarmed by Scotty Pippen Jr. before he fouled out late.

Curry had lit up the Grizzlies for 52 points on their home floor in a 134-125 win on April 1, and the Grizzlies made him a top priority this time — so Butler took charge.

“He's different,” Draymond Green said.

He led four straight scoring possessions to put the Warriors up 31-18 late in the first quarter — assisting on Gary Payton II’s cutting dunk, dishing to Post for a 3 and making a 3-point shot and three-point play himself. Butler showed no signs of being affected by a tender left quadriceps muscle after he took a knee from Kawhi Leonard on Sunday.

The Warriors hoped to avoid this extra game, but lost in overtime to the Clippers in the regular-season finale on Sunday for their third home defeat over the final week.

Curry, Green and the Warriors had been 0-3 in play-in games during appearances in 2021 and last year. The Grizzlies eliminated them at Chase Center with a 117-112 overtime victory in ’21.

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Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant, bottom, reacts after hitting the floor during the second half of an NBA play-in tournament basketball game against the Golden State Warriors in San Francisco, Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Golden State Warriors' Jimmy Butler, back, and Draymond Green (23) steal the ball from Memphis Grizzlies' Scotty Pippen Jr. (1) in the first half of an NBA play-in tournament basketball game in San Francisco, Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

State Warriors' Moses Moody, left, and Jimmy Butler III (10) defend against Memphis Grizzlies' Ja Morant (12) during the first half of during an NBA play-in tournament basketball game in San Francisco, Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (Scott Strazzante/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, middle left, is defended by Memphis Grizzlies guard Scotty Pippen Jr. during the second half of an NBA play-in tournament basketball game in San Francisco, Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Memphis Grizzlies guard Scotty Pippen Jr. (1) shoots against Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green during the second half of an NBA play-in tournament basketball game in San Francisco, Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Golden State Warriors' Gary Payton II, right, forces a jump ball against Memphis Grizzlies' Jaren Jackson Jr., center, during the first half of an NBA play-in tournament basketball game in San Francisco, Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry, back, pokes the ball away from Memphis Grizzlies' Scotty Pippen Jr. (1) in the first half of an NBA play-in tournament basketball game in San Francisco, Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry (30) shoots a 3-point shot as Memphis Grizzlies' Scotty Pippen Jr. (1) fouls him in the first half of an NBA play-in tournament basketball game in San Francisco, Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

Golden State Warriors' Jimmy Butler III (10) celebrates a made basket and foul against the Memphis Grizzlies during the the first half of an NBA play-in tournament basketball game in San Francisco, Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III, left, celebrates with guard Stephen Curry after an NBA play-in tournament basketball game against the Memphis Grizzlies in San Francisco, Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

HONG KONG (AP) — A Hong Kong court heard arguments Monday about the sentencing of democracy advocate and onetime-media magnate Jimmy Lai, whose conviction under a national security law could land him in prison for the rest of his life.

Lai founded the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper and was an outspoken critic of China’s ruling Communist Party. He was arrested in 2020 under the law imposed by Beijing following massive anti-government protests that rocked Hong Kong the year before.

In December, he was found guilty of conspiring with others to collude with foreign forces and conspiracy to publish seditious articles.

His conviction raised concerns about the curtailing of press freedom in the former British colony, which returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

His case could also test Beijing's diplomatic ties. The verdict drew criticism from foreign governments, including the U.S. and Britain. After the verdict, U.S. President Donald Trump, who had raised Lai’s case with China, said he felt “so badly.”

Lai, alongside other co-defendants, appeared in court for the four-day mitigation hearings. The maximum penalty is life imprisonment. Sentencing will come later.

Lai’s lawyer Robert Pang said his client's health, age and solitary confinement would make his sentence “more burdensome” compared to that of the general prison population. Lai is 78, so the impact of a lengthy prison sentence will be greater, Pang argued.

“Every day he spends in prison," Pang said, “brings him closer to the end of his life.”

When Lai entered the courtroom, he pressed his palms together, an apparent gesture to express gratitude, and smiled at those sitting in the gallery. The media tycoon appeared to be in good spirits and greeted a convicted Apple Daily editor who was also in the dock.

In August, his lawyers told the court that he suffered from heart palpitations. Hong Kong’s government said no abnormalities were found in a subsequent medical exam.

Prosecutor Anthony Chau said Lai’s health was stable. Chau said Lai had lost just 0.8 kg (about 1.8 pounds) over five years of detention, weighing 79.2 kg (about 175 pounds) when it was last measured this month. Lai is still considered obese as an Asian adult, Chau said. The obesity comment drew chuckles from some people sitting in the public gallery, and Lai also smiled.

But Pang argued that his client no longer lived up to his nickname of “Fatty Lai,” in contrast to images in videos filmed before detention and previously shown to the court.

Esther Toh, one of the three government-vetted judges, rejected estimating weight by relying on human eyes, saying people may look fatter on camera. Pang also said Lai's weight once dropped 11 kg (24 pounds) within a year, though the court heard he later regained some of the weight.

The lawyer said Lai suffers health issues like hypertension, diabetes and a blocked vein in one eye.

Pang argued his client's solitary confinement — which Chau earlier said was at Lai's request — was making his prison life “harsher” than others.

Before sunrise, dozens of people had already lined up outside the court building to secure a seat in the public gallery. Retiree Simon Ng, a former Apple Daily reader, said he arrived and waited in line since Friday morning, hoping to see Lai.

“I want to let him know that he’s not alone," Ng said. “Many people support him."

Lai was convicted of two counts of conspiracy to commit collusion with foreign forces to endanger national security, in addition to one count of conspiracy to distribute seditious publications. Lai pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The judges wrote in their December verdict that Lai spearheaded the conspiracies and took issue with what they called his “constant invitation” to the United States to bring down the Chinese government with the excuse of helping Hong Kongers.

Lai’s lawyers acknowledged during the trial that he had called for foreign sanctions before the national security law took effect, but insisted he dropped these calls to comply with the law. They also argued on freedom of expression grounds.

But the judges said that Lai had never wavered in his intention to destabilize the ruling Chinese Communist Party. After the enactment of the law, he intended to continue, though less explicitly, they said. They emphasized that Lai was not on trial for his political views.

Beijing has opposed what it called the smearing of Hong Kong's judiciary “by certain countries,” saying the judicial authorities perform duties according to the law.

Six ex-Apple Daily senior executives and two activists involved in Lai's case had entered guilty pleas, admitting that they had conspired with Lai and others to request foreign forces to impose sanctions, blockades or engage in other hostile activities.

The executives were publisher Cheung Kim-hung, associate publisher Chan Pui-man, editor-in-chief Ryan Law, executive editor-in-chief Lam Man-chung and editorial writers Fung Wai-kong and Yeung Ching-kee. Some of them, alongside the two activists Andy Li and Chan Tsz-wah, served as prosecution witnesses during the 156-day trial.

A guilty plea usually can lead to a sentence reduction. Under the security law, a reduced penalty may be granted to those who report on the offense committed by others.

Lawyers representing the two activists suggested their clients’ final sentences should be cut to under 10 years in part due to their cooperation in the case. Cheung’s lawyer, Lucas Lau, also cited his client's help in the case as one of the factors for a lighter penalty.

Chan Pui-man's husband, Chung Pui-kuen, a former top editor of Stand News who had been sentenced to 21 months in jail in a separate sedition case, was among those sitting in the public gallery.

Trump said after the verdict that he spoke to Chinese President Xi Jinping about Lai and “asked to consider his release." British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said his government has made it a priority to secure the release of Lai, a British citizen.

The hearing will continue Tuesday and will focus on Lai’s co-defendants.

People line up behind the barricades to attend the hearing about the upcoming sentence for pro-democracy media mogul Jimmy Lai, outside the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts, in Hong Kong, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/May James)

Correctional Services Department vehicles arrive at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts, ahead of a hearing to hear arguments about the sentencing of democracy advocate and onetime media magnate Jimmy Lai, in Hong Kong, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/May James)

Members of foreign councils arrive at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts to attend a hearing to hear arguments about the sentencing of pro-democracy media mogul Jimmy Lai, in Hong Kong, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/May James)

Robert Pang, center, lawyer for pro-democracy media mogul Jimmy Lai arrives to the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts, ahead of a hearing to hear arguments about the sentencing of Lai, in Hong Kong, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/May James)

Teresa Lai, wife of pro-democracy media mogul Jimmy Lai arrives to the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts to attend a hearing to hear arguments about the sentencing of Jimmy Lai, in Hong Kong, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/May James)

FILE- Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai is escorted by Correctional Services officers to get on a prison van before appearing in a court in Hong Kong, Dec. 12, 2020. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, File)