Jimmy Butler has been everything Golden State needed since he arrived from Miami on Feb. 6 in a five-team trade deal.
“Jimmy Buckets” averaged 17.5 points a game in March and 20.3 per matchup in April, but the “Playoff Jimmy” experience is unleashed in the bay area. Butler was outstanding in Tuesday’s NBA Play-In Tournament matchup versus Memphis for the Western Conference. He had a game-high 38 points in the Warriors 121-116 victory over the Grizzlies, notching it as the seventh seed for the playoffs. Butler also had seven rebounds, six assists, and three steals, while shooting 12-for-20 from the field.
TOP NEWS
His defensive intensity matches Draymond Green’s, but his shot-making helps Stephen Curry.
Curry had 37 points, including six-of-13 made three-pointers. Curry and Butler embraced after the matchup as the two paced Golden State into its first series against No. 2-seeded Houston. Butler paid the ultimate respect to Curry in the postgame press conference.
Jimmy Butler: “I think any team has a chance with me on it. But I know every team has a chance with Steph on it. I get to play Robin. That’s my Batman.” pic.twitter.com/Zm1hwV35uN
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) April 16, 2025
????️ “We got a hell of a batman in Steph.”
Jimmy Butler III (38 PTS) after another memorable Chef Curry performance (37 PTS, 6 3PM) in the #SoFiPlayIn! pic.twitter.com/1qZSFlCc3o
— NBA (@NBA) April 16, 2025
“I think any team has a chance with me on it. But I know every team has a chance with Steph on it. I get to play Robin. That’s my Batman,” Butler said. “We got a hell of a batman in Steph.”
He no longer has his “Splash Brother” partner, but to lose Klay Thompson and pick up excellence in Butler is a good trade.
Butler, Curry, and the Warriors look to handle Houston in a seven-game series.
Stephen M. Smith is a writer for Ball Exclusives. You can follow him him X via @CoachingMSmith.
