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USA Today via Reuters

USA Today via Reuters

Jimmy Butler barely lasted five minutes in his Warriors debut before exhaustion hit, forcing Steve Kerr to call a timeout. No surprise there—dude hadn’t played real basketball in almost a month. Throughout the period of his three suspensions, Butler’s only chance to hoop came in San Diego, where he found a local run. Not exactly NBA intensity, but hey, you take what you can get. Despite that, though it is too early to comment, Butler’s impact on the team looks promising.

In two games with the Warriors, he’s averaging 22.5 points on 45.8 percent shooting, with 5.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 2.5 steals in 30 minutes, in which the Warriors are 2-0 in these games. Moreover, Butler helped erase a 24-point deficit in a wild comeback against the Chicago Bull leading the squad to a 132-111 win. The highlight of the game was, Butler and Curry combined for 59 points and shared several viral moments together. In fact, Curry had also explained how he and Jimmy complemented each other, eventually benefitting the team.

“He’s like the exact opposite player of me, which is kind of funny,” he said, according to The Athletic’s Anthony Slater. “I shot 16 threes. 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 really fun.” Draymond Green also called the six-time All-Star a “great target” for passes. “Put the ball in his area, he’s gonna get it,” Green said. Well, looks like the chemistry is brewing on the court. But what about off it? Curry had his take on it.

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Curry sat for an exclusive sit-down with NBC Bay Area’s Raj Mathai for the Bay Area Host Committee’s “Uniting The Bay Through Sport”. He opened up about the Warriors’ locker room chemistry since Butler’s arrival, admitting that even with a high-IQ player, it takes time to settle in. “Chris Mullen is so thoughtful and intelligent in his analysis of your team, much like you but he’s obviously a former player, he said something interesting the other night just that it takes time to find chemistry regardless who you bring in on this team. Is that true?” Mathai asked.

It is,” Curry said. “I think you know new energy in the locker room gets everybody’s kind of senses going you get a little uneasy which is a good thing I think.” He acknowledged that the team is still figuring things out, and some growing pains are inevitable. “Going into games… everybody’s on edge trying to figure it out. You’re going to hit some rough patches from time to time, and you got to be able to talk your way and play your way through it.”

Despite the challenge, Curry believes Butler’s skill set makes the transition easier. “The fit is as seamless and smooth as possible because of Jimmy’s style and his ability… he’s a great passer, great cutter. He keeps the game pretty simple, and that helps. When you’re trying to uh Infuse him into what we do and so yeah it’s a challenge but I like the way it feels so far.” Curry also agreed that Butler’s addition bring a new dynamic to the team.

” Just the idea that he’s a winner, he’s played in two finals, he’s a superstar and just the idea that he’s uh a guy that demands attention on the court, he plays a different style than I do, he’s a great compliment and I think he fits the style that we want to play as a team. We have a lot lot of work left to do,” Curry said. Interestingly, Warriors coach  Steve Kerr is already full of praises for what Butler has brought to the Warriors locker room.

via Imago

“He’s been great,” Kerr said Tuesday on 95.7 The Game’s “Willard & Dibs.” “He’s right in the middle of the card games on the plane with Draymond [Green] and Steph [Curry]. There seems to be a lot of laughter in that locker room. He’s a very charismatic guy. It’s great timing. He needed a change. He had a great run in Miami and he was ready for something different. And we needed a burst.”

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“And you can feel that it’s a good fit both on the court and in the locker room. He just has a really good energy about him. He’s thrilled to be here. The guys are happy he’s here. And there’s a sense of confidence that he can really help us get to where we want to go,” Kerr further added. On the other hand, Curry said, Butler’s presence has made life easier on the court.

“Every possession just doesn’t feel as hard,” Curry explained. “I mean, you still see attention, you still see defenses, but you have to worry about something else. And we’re just putting people in the right spot. So, obviously, I gotta be aggressive.” Curry pointed to the team’s growing chemistry, highlighting how their offense is flowing better with Butler in the mix. “There’s just a feeling like, there’s a comfort level of we’re gonna create a good shot.” Looks like the 6x All-Star is getting the hang of the Warriors ball. His impact will be something to watch out for.

How does Jimmy Butler impact Stephen Curry’s Warriors?

Jimmy Butler’s Warriors chapter is off to a strong start. Golden State picked up a second straight win, cruising past the Bucks 125-111 at Fiserv Forum.

Butler wasted no time making an impact, dropping 20 points while living at the free-throw line—hitting 12-of-15. In just two games, he’s already 23-of-28 from the stripe. He also stuffed the stat sheet with nine rebounds, six assists, and four steals. And, of course, Steph did what he does best, torching Milwaukee with 38 points, including six threes. That’s four straight 30-point games for him—something he hasn’t done since 2021.

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Defensively, the Warriors feasted. They turned 20 Bucks turnovers into 31 points while only giving up two points off their own nine giveaways. That kind of discipline? That wins games.

via Imago

Steve Kerr compared Butler’s IQ to Andre Iguodala’s, and it showed. He picked apart the Bucks’ zone, threading bounce passes to Draymond Green for easy buckets. Then in the second half, he found Quinten Post and kept forcing his way to the line.

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Meanwhile, Brandin Podziemski kept doing the dirty work, leading the team in plus/minus. Post added 13 points, all while teams keep targeting him on defense. The Warriors have options now. And with Butler settling in, they just got a whole lot scarier.

 

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