In his debut for the Warriors, Jimmy Butler helped Golden State end their two-game losing streak with a 24-point outing. Spurred by a Stephen Curry masterclass, the Dubs outscored the Bulls 77-42 in the final two quarters and completed a 49-point swing at United Center.
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After the exciting comeback win, Curry resonated a positive outlook about his budding partnership with Butler. “Whether he’s either getting to the line or finishing in the paint, again, he draws attention,” the Chef commented.
Jimmy was rightfully drawing attention from the Bulls as he ended the night shooting 11 of 13 from the free-throw line and 7 of 12 from the field. His 11 foul shots were the most made by any Warrior in a debut performance, marking a new milestone in Golden State’s history.
“He’s like the exact opposite player of me, which is kind of funny. I’m shooting 16 threes, he shot 1. He got to the free-throw line a lot. He’s dominating the paint, I’m dominating the outside, the perimeter. Guys working around us, it has the potential to be really fun,” Curry said about his fit with Butler.
“He’s like the exact opposite player of me which is kind of funny. I shot 16 three’s, he shot 1, he got to the FT line a lot, he’s dominating the paint, I’m dominating the outside, guys working around us, it has the potential to be really fun.”
Steph Curry on Jimmy Butler pic.twitter.com/zF654dq2zr
— KNBR (@KNBR) February 9, 2025
Past the midpoint of the season, the Warriors remain in the bottom tier of teams when it comes to scoring in the paint, and that’s certainly an area that Jimmy can contribute to right away. The Warriors generated a few points already with Butler screening for Curry before rolling to the rim.
Defenses will continue to struggle against such actions as they’re forced to pick between defending Steph behind the line or Jimmy in the paint. Furthermore, with the veteran forward’s playmaking chops, he can also make the extra pass when defenses overcommit. We saw flashes of that potential in Chicago last night as Butler tallied 4 assists in his debut.
The 35-year-old has approached his new role in Golden State with open arms. Despite his plethora of experience as the number one option, the six-time All-Star is enjoying playing second fiddle to one of the greatest offensive talents in league history.
While there are many reasons to be positive about the Warriors’ outlook after this move, it’s important to also reflect on the fact that they were down by 24 against the short-handed Bulls last night. As impressive as their comeback was, the need for it does reflect some of the holes in the Dubs’ defense.
Naturally, Butler doesn’t move the needle in terms of their interior presence. He did tally a steal and a block in his debut but with three veterans in their starting lineup, the Warriors were thoroughly outpaced by the younger Bulls lineup.
Chicago outscored Golden State 25-6 in fast break points, revealing some of the defensive concerns of their new-look roster. Steve Kerr might look to the youth on his own team to provide that extra spark on defense, but that doesn’t take away from the offensive strides we saw last night.
The Baby-Faced Assassin marked his third straight thirty-point game in Chicago, but the difference in his efficiency was hard to miss. After shooting just 38% from the field in his previous two appearances, Steph shot a blistering hot 52.6% from the field and 50% from beyond-the-arc last night. Dubs fans will be hoping that the new tandem in Golden State can maintain these standards. We’ll find out when they take on the Bucks in Milwaukee on Monday.
