SAN FRANCISCO – As much as the Warriors have gotten better since acquiring Jimmy Butler III prior to the Feb. 6 trade deadline, they’ve found ways to keep playing at a high level on those rare occasions when Butler isn’t in top form.
Saturday’s win against the New York Knicks was a perfect example.
While Butler sputtered through one of his roughest shooting outings since the trade (3 of 11), Golden State received significant contributions up and down the roster on the way to a 97-94 win over the Knicks at Chase Center.
The bottom line – another Warriors win – was primary on Butler’s mind in Golden State’s locker room after the game.
“We’re winning so I don’t care about nothing else,” Butler said. “I can say it till I’m whatever color in the face. But as long as we win, I’m straight.
“The game is just simple. You just pass the ball to the open guy. When you’re open you shoot it. Somebody got a better shot you pass it to them. Everybody is doing it here and that’s why we’ve been stacking wins.”
To no one’s surprise Stephen Curry was at the center of everything that went well for the Warriors against the Knicks. Curry cooked his way to a team-leading 28 points with seven rebounds and five assists but was minus-five in a game that Golden State didn’t fully take fully control until the very end.
Butler didn’t have a terrible game by any means (11 points, six rebounds, seven assists) but didn’t show the flashiness or firepower that Warriors fans have grown accustomed to over the past five weeks.
It hardly mattered.
Moses Moody scored 18 points and continued to play well in his role as a starter after coming off the bench for the first three months of the 2024-25 NBA season. Jonathan Kuminga had 10 points in his second game back after missing 31 games with an ankle injury. Gui Santos made his second career start and added five points and seven rebounds.
Steph’s solid supporting cast against the Knicks included more yeoman-like nights from Quinten Post (five points, six boards) and Gary Payton II (six points, four rebounds) and Kevon Looney (six points, four rebounds).
“He’s always on a superstar level because even when he’s not scoring he’s still creating for everyone,” Draymond Green said. “He draws some double-teams, he kicks out and get us open shots. I think he’s always playing at a superstar level because his presence is always at a superstar level. When he’s making the right play and you get 18 (points) out of (Moody), that’s making up for some of that. Ten from JK off the bench, we can live with that.
“But we all know there’s going to be games where we need him to go score, and we know he’s more than capable and he’ll do that. What’s been huge for us is just him always making the right play. Always make the right play. He’s getting guys easy looks. You know who gets guys easy looks? Superstars.”
That is the essence of Butler.
Blessed as one of the NBA’s most electrifying scorers, his impact goes way beyond the boxscore. As Green pointed out, Golden State having Butler in the lineup has a domino effect on the rest of the Warriors.
On most nights, Butler’s shot is pure silk and he’ll put up points by the dozens. When his shot isn’t falling, however, he still finds a way to make an impact.
Since joining the Warriors Butler has been limited to six points or fewer three times. His 11 points against the Knicks were his fourth-fewest in a Warriors uniform.
Golden State is 4-0 in those games.
That’s a very encouraging and promising sign for a team trying to maintain its hold on the No. 6 slot in the Western Conference.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr called Butler a ‘connector’ and Curry agreed.
“He’s very good at just staying under control, making the right play,” Curry said. “You can tell he doesn’t really look to score as much right now because he’s reading the defense, taking whatever they’re giving him. Having the ball in his hands is usually a good thing.”
Make no mistake, Butler remains a scorer first and foremost, and he’ll do it when the need arises. For now he’s content finding his flow with the rest of Golden State’s offense.
“I’m not just a scorer. I can score whenever I want to ,” Butler said. “I can shoot the toughest of shots if I wanted to and, nobody’s ever going to say anything. I want to get everybody involved. I want to get guys in their spots. When it’s mytime you’ll know that it’s my time. But until then we’re going to pass the ball to the open man, get my guys some jumpers, get them out in transition, keep winning.”
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