Playing without Jimmy Butler for the first time since his trade, the Golden State Warriors’ five-game win streak was ended by a career-high 44-point outburst from Quentin Grimes. The newest member of the 76ers snapped Philly’s 9-game losing streak with a scorching hot 18-of-24 performance from the field.
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The Dubs led a comeback during the second half, spurred by Stephen Curry’s 29 points and 13 assists. However, Grimes continued to make tough, contested buckets in the clutch to put the nail in the coffin.
For Golden State, the outcome is disappointing because a win against the Sixers would have elevated them to the sixth seed in the West. However, given their misfortunes over the past few months, Steve Kerr’s team will be happy to at least be in the playoff conversation at this stage.
Despite their new-look roster, the Warriors head coach reflected on his team’s modest aspirations at this point of the season.
When a reporter asked Kerr if his team possesses the necessary depth to compete in the NBA Finals, the 59-year-old candidly answered, “We would like to make the Playoffs. The Playoffs. You’re talking about the Finals? We just want to make the Playoffs. Let’s not talk about the Finals.”
Steve Kerr asked if his bench would be enough in the Finals
“We would like to make the playoffs. The playoffs. You’re talking about the Finals? We just want to make the playoffs. Let’s not talk about the Finals.” pic.twitter.com/WXYgwcy7yM
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) March 2, 2025
With a 32-28 record, the Warriors remain just half a game behind the fifth-seeded LA Clippers. If they successfully usurp their position, Curry & Co. will not have to worry about any Play-In games.
However, Kerr is also rightfully concerned about their position as the 10th seeded Mavericks are also just half a game behind the Dubs. A winning streak from either Dallas, Sacramento or Minnesota could very well force Golden State back into the Play-in tournament.
Are the new-look Warriors true title contenders?
Kerr’s refrained remarks were in stark contrast to the confidence Draymond Green exuded a few weeks ago. While providing color commentary for the All-Star Game, the four-time NBA champion stated, “I said I think we’re going to win a championship, but I lied. We are going to win the championship.”
Interestingly, DraftKings gave the Warriors the seventh highest odds of winning the 2024-25 championship following their five-game win streak. And it’s for good reasons too.
Since Butler’s arrival in Golden State, the Dubs have led the league in assists per game (31.7) while generating the sixth fewest turnovers (12.7), a change that Kerr argued was largely due to their latest acquisition. And it isn’t the only area that Jimmy has impacted in his first 8 games.
In January, the Warriors recorded the second-fewest FTAs in the league (18). But with Butler in the lineup, they attempted the fourth-most free-throws in the league (25.3) through the month of February. Between the first and second months of the year, their average points in the paint also saw a jump from 40.4 to 48.5.
With Butler’s inside prowess and Curry’s long-range threat, the Dubs will certainly cause problems in the postseason. Add to that their defensive identity and intensity, and Golden State does look like a dark horse contender. However, their Playoff ceiling will be determined by their matchups as the team remains vulnerable against elite bigs like Nikola Jokic, who the Warriors would face in the first round if the season ended today.
