Jimmy Butler is two games into his Golden State Warriors career. The veteran forward has helped Steve Kerr’s team win both of those games. On Monday, Feb. 10, Butler enjoyed a 20-point outing during the Warriors’ 125-111 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.
During his postgame news conference, Kerr discussed how Butler is already improving Golden State’s roster. The veteran head coach also took a moment to praise Butler’s passing ability, noting how it gives the roster a different dimension.
“I’m most impressed with his passing,” Kerr said. “His passing changes everything. The skill, the strength, the ability to get to the free throw line. And in the end, it goes beyond that. Just his presence out there.”
Against the Bucks, Butler pulled down nine rebounds and dished out six assists. He also earned himself 15 shots from the free-throw line, converting 12 of them. Butler was acquired to give Stephen Curry an All-Star running mate and has immediately begun to make a valuable impact.
Stephen Curry Praises Butler’s Impact On Warriors
It may only be two games, but Butler’s presence is clearly being felt throughout the Warriors rotation. During his own postgame news conference, Curry shared the value of having Butler on the floor.
“Every doesn’t feel as hard,” Curry said. “You still see attention, you still see defenses, but you’ve got to worry about something else. We’re just putting people in the right spots. I’m gonna be aggressive, and earlier in the year, that aggression didn’t lead to anything as consistent as it has these last two games…There’s a comfort level.”
Butler is a known commodity within the NBA. When he’s happy and engaged, he’s one of the most unstoppable forwards in the league. Butler has a way of willing his teams toward success. Pairing him with Curry and Draymond Green should ensure Kerr’s team are a threat in the Western Conference moving forward.
Following Golden State’s win over the Bucks, the Warriors have moved into the 10th seed and sit 2.5 games behind the LA Clippers in sixth.
Butler is The ‘Exact’ Opposite of Warriors’ Curry
Butler’s first game for the Warriors came during a 132-111 victory over the Chicago Bulls. When speaking to the media after the game, Curry joked that Butler was the ‘exact’ opposite of him in terms of playing style and skill set.
“He’s like the exact opposite player of me, which is kind of funny,” Curry said. “I shot 16 3s. He shot one. He got to the free-throw line a lot, dominated the paint. I’m dominating the outside, the perimeter. Guys working around us. It has the potential to be real fun.”
Butler should help Golden State get more points from the free-throw line. Kerr’s team is currently ranked 24th in the NBA for free-throw attempts per game. If Butler can get the Warriors some easy buckets while also forcing defenses to pack the paint more frequently, Curry and the rest of the Warriors roster should be able to generate a consistent barrage of high-quality shots.
It might be early in his Warriors tenure, but Butler already looks like he was the missing piece to Golden State’s puzzle.
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