SAN FRANCISCO — Steve Kerr acknowledged before the Warriors’ play-in game Tuesday what a “big deal” it would be for them to win and get a chance to catch their breath.

Turns out he undersold it.

“We desperately needed to win this game and get four days,” the coach said after his team earned a dramatic 121-116 win over the Grizzlies — and some much-needed rest before they travel to Houston for game one of the first round Sunday.

The game that got Golden State back to the postseason sure took on a playoff-like intensity, and Stephen Curry said afterward it’s felt that way for two months. Kerr said the Warriors had “basically been playing knockout games” for the past three weeks.

“It took 83 games, but we’re right where we want to be, which is back in the playoffs – we’ve got a chance – but maybe most importantly, we get the time to rest and prepare,” Kerr said. “Because these guys need that desperately right now.”

“We’re going to need all four of those days,” Gary Payton II emphasized.

The Warriors put their own backs against the walls by losing their final three home games of the regular season, including a 106-96 loss to the Rockets last Sunday, and Kerr plans to get right to work on making sure they don’t contain Curry to single digits again.

Kerr called Wednesday “my favorite day of the season.” He and his coaching staff will come into a quiet Chase Center, scour tape and start to gameplan for Ime Udoka and the Rockets.

After his sixth 30-point game of the month and playing 38 minutes for the second consecutive game, Curry was also looking forward to Wednesday — for different reasons.

“I plan on doing nothing that has to do with basketball,” he said. “Take a day where you do absolutely nothing. Just get away from the game, as far away as I can. Be with my family.”

Jimmy Butler III’s postseason alter ego showed up at last with his 38-point effort against the Grizzlies, and he didn’t want to stray too far from the court until the Warriors’ next game. Not after missing six of his 18 shots from the foul line, at least.

“Rest and recovery — and a lot of free throws,” Butler said of his plans this week. “A lot of dominoes, coffee and free throws.”

The last time the Warriors had a day off at home and no game the next day was March 12. Their home arena playing host to the NBA All-Star Game and NCAA Sweet 16 forced them onto the road for more than a week at a time twice in the final two months of the season.

They let their chance at a higher seed and more downtime slip away, so the players were sure to cherish the day to themselves before being summoned back to the facility.

“The preparation starts Thursday,” Curry said.

That’s when the coaches’ hard work is presented to the players. While teams in the NFL get a week to prepare for each opponent, the NBA only affords the same luxury in the postseason.

“The only thing I was thinking about earlier today was, like, man, I just want the opportunity to go through that first film session,” Draymond Green said. “It’s like no other. …  I’m looking forward to not (Wednesday) but the following day. (Kerr) can have tomorrow. But that preparation, getting ready for a team that you know you got to see possibly seven times in a row, is so fun.”

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“Sitting down for that first film session gets the juices flowing,” added Curry. “It reminds you of just how fun the playoffs are and that chess match that goes back and forth.”

The Warriors’ veteran status was another reason they needed the rest, but one byproduct of a combined 448 postseason games between Curry, Green and Butler is an understanding of how to balance rest and recovery with preparing for the upcoming series.

Curry, who continues to wear a bandage on right thumb, said he plans to take “full advantage” of the next four days.

“Understanding what the roadmap looks like between Thursday, Friday, Saturday and what I need to do to get my body right, stay sharp on the court, not overdo it,” Curry said. “The experience will kind of come into play on making sure you’re as prepared as possible mentally and physically to be ready to go.”