There was a point early in the season when it looked like the Golden State Warriors would have to fight for a playoff spot through the play-in tournament. At the same time, Jimmy Butler-who had been suspended by the Miami Heat-was looking for a new team after five seasons in Miami, where he led the Heat to the Finals twice but fell short both times. Fast forward to a month before the end of the season and Butler, now with the Warriors, has a 12-1 record as he and Steph Curry have formed one of the league’s most lethal duos. No team wants to face them in the playoffs – seriously, no one wants to see the combination of Playoff Jimmy chasing his first title and the greatest shooter of all time looking for his fifth ring to surpass LeBron James.
Is Curry Jealous of Butler?
Through 13 games since the trade, Butler is averaging 17.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 1.3 steals, becoming a key factor for Golden State. The highlight of his young career with the Warriors so far has been the triple-double he recorded on Monday, making him the fastest player to record a triple-double with the Warriors since Rick Barry in 1972, according to StatMamba. Butler needed just 13 games to accomplish the feat, while Barry did it in nine.
Butler’s stellar play has been the biggest reason for the Warriors’ turnaround this season. While it’s clear that Curry is the franchise’s greatest legend and coach Steve Kerr’s favorite, Butler’s presence and especially his comments have led some Warriors fans to speculate that Curry might be jealous. Of course, that’s completely untrue – the entire team has one goal in mind: winning the franchise’s eighth championship and fifth in the last 11 years.
Warriors Face Crucial Stretch in Playoff Race
The Warriors’ next five games are at home, but they are extremely tough. First, they face the division rival Sacramento Kings, a team they’ve beaten only once in their last five meetings. Then they take on the Knicks, who will still be without Jalen Brunson, but are still a well-rounded team. After that, they host back-to-back games against Nikola Joki’s Nuggets and Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Bucks – two brutal matchups, especially since the Warriors lack a big man besides Draymond Green capable of containing such dominant stars. They close out their homestand against the Raptors before heading out on a six-game road trip.
The Warriors currently sit in sixth place in the Western Conference, holding a half-game lead over the seventh-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves and a two-game cushion over the eighth-seeded Clippers. This makes for an intense and dramatic end to the season, as only the top six teams will earn a direct playoff berth, while the play-in comes with the risk of being eliminated in a single game. With Butler and Curry leading the way, the Warriors could build some serious momentum heading into the playoffs – let’s just hope injuries don’t derail them.
