“He’s going to be the reason that we do win it all. We all know that.” That was Jimmy Butler, no hesitation, seconds after the Warriors snatched Game 1 in Houston. Steph Curry had just dropped 31 points and pulled off one of those signature Steph takeovers that makes you wonder if the laws of physics apply to him. And Butler had a front-row seat for this blockbuster.

Now here’s where it gets wild—Golden State had a 23-point lead in the third. It felt like the Rockets were about to get blown off their own court. But credit to them, they went on a gutsy 17-3 run to close the quarter, and suddenly, it was a nine-point game heading into the fourth.

And just as things started to feel shaky? Curry did what Curry does. First possession of the quarter, with the shot clock winding down, he nailed a ridiculous step-back three. No hesitation. No mercy. It was the kind of shot that stops momentum dead in its tracks. You could see it on Butler’s face from the bench—his reaction? “Ain’t no way.”

This wasn’t just about stats. It was about timing, killer instinct, and setting the tone. The 2x MVP’s shot wasn’t just a bucket—it was a message. Butler, who’s clearly found his rhythm in Golden State, came through with a stacked stat line—25 points, seven boards, six dimes, and five steals. Yeah, he was everywhere.

Together, the duo racked up 56 points, and honestly, it felt like even more with the way they controlled the game. One possession they’d be slicing up the Rockets’ defense, the next Butler was stripping guys and running the break like it was nothing.

And for Butler? One playoff game alongside Curry was all it took to start preaching the gospel. The 6x All-Star wasn’t done with the Batman references either. Still riding the high of Curry’s heroics against the Grizzlies on the 16th and against the Rockets, he broke it down his way.

“Like I always say, Batman comes out of nowhere,” Butler said. “You never see him coming. Then he just falls from the sky, from a building, behind a door and does some incredible things.”

And apparently, Gotham’s caped crusader’s partner isn’t the only one recognizing greatness.

Stephen Curry Jimmy Butler

Right after Golden State’s 95-85 Game 1 win over the Rockets, Steph Curry made it clear—Jimmy Butler’s built for this stage. And honestly, if you watched that game, you felt it too.

“He’s carried teams to the Finals,” Steph said postgame, clearly loving his new running mate. “You give him the rock and let him go to work—he’s either creating his own shot or setting someone else up.”

What really stood out to Curry, though, was Butler’s impact on spacing. “He’s a legit ball handler. You can throw it to him in the post, the elbow, anywhere really, and defenses have to pay attention. That frees me up, and it’s been smooth sailing since he got here.”

And Butler didn’t waste any time proving him right. In his first playoff appearance as a Warrior, he racked up 25 points and 7 rebounds—plus a handful of gritty plays that don’t show up on the stat sheet but make you nod like, yeah, that’s why he’s here.

Meanwhile, Houston’s Alperen Sengun led their charge with 26 and 9, and Fred VanVleet added 10 points and 7 assists. Solid, but not enough.

Game 2 tips off April 23, and let’s be real—if Butler keeps bringing that kind of Robin energy, the Rockets might need a miracle to stop this duo.