How Butler’s audacity, poise are powering his Warriors teammates originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The Warriors and their fan base are getting a close-up look at what seemed apparent from a distance when Jimmy Butler III was in Miami. He is one of those rare players whose mere presence lifts teammates to an appreciably higher level.
Particularly those teammates who haven’t yet earned their NBA stripes.
This was visible almost immediately after Butler’s Golden State debut Feb. 8 in Chicago, and it was conspicuous in the second quarter Friday night as the Warriors were running away from the Kings in Sacramento.
As Stephen Curry watched the first five minutes from the bench, Butler’s presence and play were the force behind a 22-8 run in less than five minutes that gave the Warriors a 53-36 lead that was never truly threatened. Rookie center Quinten Post made three 3-pointers without a miss. Moses Moody made two shots without a miss. The Warriors were 9-of-11 from the field. Butler had three points, two assists, two “hockey” assists, one rebound in a game-changing five minutes.
The Warriors took a 15-point lead into intermission and stayed in command in the second half to gain a 132-106 victory to snap a five-game losing streak to the Kings.
“Us controlling the second (quarter) had a lot to do with the experience but also Jimmy’s presence,” Curry told reporters in Sacramento. “That lineup when I was off the court . . . when you look at the plus-minus, there’s a reason that they took advantage of those minutes because when you have a lead and you’re able to control possessions and still get stops. That has a lot to do with him and the presence and the confidence that he exudes out on the floor.”
Butler’s impact is a major factor in Golden State’s improved overall efficiency. It’s only five games, but the plus-minus numbers tell a story. Brandin Podziemski is plus-79 post-Jimmy. Moses Moody is plus-46. Kevon Looney is plus-20, Gui Santos plus-14 and Post is plus-19. The decorated veterans also benefit, as Draymond Green is plus-59 and Curry is plus-42.
Butler is plus-28. The Warriors are 4-1 but have the confidence of a team on a 12-game win streak.
“Jimmy gives us some swagger,” coach Steve Kerr said at Golden1 Center.
Butler’s individual per-game statistics through his first five – 20.4 points on 45.5-percent shooting, 6.2 rebounds, 5.8 assists – whisper that he is productive. His 41-of-47 shooting from the foul line says he’s filling a void.
But the 35-year-old forward’s effect on his new teammates seems to be blasting through a megaphone.
“He passes,” Kerr said of Butler. “He creates shots with his passing, with his penetration, with his brilliant footwork and fundamental play. We always talk about playing off two feet; Jimmy plays off two feet. Jump stop, pivot, never turns it over. He’s got claws for hands and then he gets the ball out of traffic, and we end up with wide-open looks. He just connects the game for the rest of the guys and we’re getting much better looks because of Jimmy’s presence.”
Which is what he did in his five seasons with the Heat. They reached the conference finals three times and NBA Finals twice, in 2020 and 2023. Their overachievement stemmed from the culture established by team president Pat Riley, the tactical expertise of coach Erik Spoelstra and the presence of Butler.
Consider the roster of the 2019-20 Heat. Bam Adebayo was 22, in his second pro season and not yet a star. Tyler Herro was a rookie who started eight games. Duncan Robinson was an undrafted guard with his first standard NBA contract. Kendrick Nunn was the starting point guard, Meyers Leonard the starting center.
Butler dragged that team – the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference – into the players and all the way to the NBA Finals.
Leonard has since played 12 games, none since April 2023. Nunn, 29, unable to stick with an NBA team, was last playing in Greece.
The ’23 Heat was a No. 8 seed that raced through the Play-In Tournament, went 12-6 through the conference playoffs before losing in five to the Denver Nuggets in The Finals. That Miami team introduced the world to the likes of Max Strus and Caleb Martin and the point guard duo of Gabe Vincent and long-past-his=prime Kyle Lowry. Yeah, those guys balled out.
After the win in Sacrament, Green spent a few moments pondering what Butler brings to the Warriors. He said a lot, but his conclusion hints at why they feel as they do.
“You need someone that’s coming in and bringing life (into our team) and fear into other teams,” Green said. “That’s what Jimmy (does).”
Butler touches nerves that empower his teammates. Their faith in him somehow transfers to them, resulting in a mental edge that can be powerful. That ability might be more valuable to the Warriors than Jimmy’s own production.
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