It was a nifty bit of nostalgia for those who have seen the Golden State Warriors‘ dynasty sprout up, blossom and mature over the past dozen years, the team putting together an impressive, complete effort on the road against the Clippers in a do-or-die play-in situation. This time, they did. The Warriors took a 126-121 victory in the game, and looked like their old selves in doing so, with 35 points from a healthy Stephen Curry.
And a remarkable defensive performance down the stretch by Draymond Green.
And an efficient showing from role players Kristaps Prozingis and Gui Santos, who combined to score 40 points on 17-for-25 shooting from the field.
Al Horford, Brandin Podziemski–it was a remarkable team effort from the Warriors, one that was reminiscent of the best of times back when the Dubs were winning championships and touting their own “Strength in Numbers” slogan.
Ah, but there is one guy who is notable by his absence: star forward Jimmy Butler, who remains out with a torn ACL just as so many of his teammates are beginning to get healthy.
Jimmy Butler on Warriors Vets: ‘Wow’
Butler was in attendance, though, and Warriors fans could take some comfort in the fact that he was limping on his own after the game, and was vocal about the Warriors’ performance.
Butler, who has been mentoring rookie Will Richard, had just one word for his teammates: Wow.
He listed off the big contributors: “Dray, Steph, Gui, Big Al. Wow. Will Richard didn’t do anything but he was over there with me, cheering his heart out. Wow.”
It’s easy to slip into some wishful thinking having seen the way the Warriors played and Butler’s presence on the bench. Butler had been averaging 20.0 points on 51.9% shooting, and 37.6% 3-point shooting, one of the best marks of his career from the arc.
A healthy Butler, not to mention a healthy Moses Moody (who tore his patellar tendon), would make the Warriors group a suddenly formidable bunch.
Warrior Looked Healthy, Finally
Think about it: Porzingis’ offensive skill in the middle, Green’s defense at power forward, with Butler, Moody and Curry in the starting five. Then Brandin Podziemski, Santos, Horford and De’Anthony Melton off the bench?
It’s a deep team that, if the Warriors had been able to deploy throughout the season, would have an excellent chance to lock up a Top 6 finish and a playoff spot, and maybe even a Top 4 finish. At the time of Butler’s injury, the Warriors were 25-19, No. 8 in the West, but had won 12 of their last 16 games.
Add Porzingis to the mix, and things might have looked even better for the second half.
Jimmy Butler Could Help lead a Strong Season in 2026-27
On Wednesday, before the play-in against the Clippers, one NBA executive told Heavy that the Warriors figure to be a real threat going forward. They’re old, for sure, and they will need to get and stay healthy. But it’s a tough-looking group, if Jimmy Butler is back in the mix.
“It’s not an easy situation, they’re trying to have Steph go gracefully into retirement and have them stay competitive while he is doing that,” the NBA executive said. “And it can get ugly, it did at times this year when Steph was hurt. But you consider what they could have on the roster next year and, that is an imposing group. Not a title team or anything but, a pretty good one.”
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