The most important stretch of games approaches for the Warriors.

The Warriors pulled off one of the biggest midseason deals by trading Andrew Wiggins and other assets for Butler, a six-time All-Star that immediately provides Golden State with the second star they have desperately been searching for since the offseason. So far, so good for the Dubs with Butler, as they have picked up back-to-back wins since the 35-year-old joined the rotation after defeating the Milwaukee Bucks 125-111 on Monday night.

Through his first two games, Butler has scored 45 total points while also recording 11 rebounds and 10 assists. As a result, Butler joined Kevin Durant and Guy Rodgers as the only three players in Warriors history to record at least 40 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists in their first two games with the team.

Butler has made things easier for Curry, and the Warriors have seemed to find both their swagger and confidence that was lost earlier in the season. Of course, the big question this group now faces is whether or not this little jolt of energy can be sustained, especially with the All-Star break approaching.

Well, only 29 games remain for the Dubs to prove that they can be a legitimate playoff team in the West. All of these games are equally as important, but the next four games on Golden State’s schedule will truly make or break their season.

Aside from making the playoffs, these next four games against key Western Conference foes could determine if the Warriors can avoid the play-in tournament altogether and emerge as a true title contender.

Warriors’ most important 4-game stretch

The Warriors handled business in their first two games with Butler.

After beating the Chicago Bulls 132-111 on Saturday, the team continued to excel on offense with their Monday night win over the Bucks. Golden State is now 2-2 on its current seven-game road trip that will conclude after the All-Star break.

This road trip is perhaps the most important stretch of games the Warriors have faced to this point, and that continues into their first game back in Chase Center after all the All-Star festivities.

Before enjoying a week off to recover and relax, Golden State is set to play the Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets in back-to-back games on Wednesday and Thursday. Dallas is currently a half-game ahead of the Warriors in the standings as the 8-seed, and the Rockets are six games ahead of the Dubs as the 5-seed in the West.

The Dubs will then head into the All-Star break before traveling to Sacramento for a matchup on Feb. 21 with the Kings. Golden State then returns home for a Sunday matinee game against Klay Thompson and the Mavs. This game will be a special one for the Warriors with Andre Iguodala’s jersey retirement ceremony happening after.

While there is still a lot of basketball yet to be played and anything can happen, this is a stretch of games that could really shift momentum and confidence either way.

Although head coach Steve Kerr didn’t exactly pinpoint these upcoming games as a turning point in the season, he did make it clear in his postgame comments on Monday night that the “sixth seed is the goal” heading into the stretch run of the regular season.

Well, if the Warriors are to have any shot at rising in the West standings and potentially achieving this goal of getting to the sixth seed, then wins over the Mavs, Rockets, and Kings would go a long way since these three teams stand in between them and the play-in tournament.

All three teams that the Warriors are set to play are currently dealing with issues as well.

The volatility of Western Conference standings

Dallas recently traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers and has lost four of their last six games. Not only is Dereck Lively II injured, but Anthony Davis is out indefinitely, and Daniel Gafford suffered a knee injury on Monday night against the Kings. The Mavericks could be very depleted for their two games against Golden State.

As for the Kings, they are still getting used to life without De’Aaron Fox. Zach LaVine has struggled on offense, and Sacramento is playing through DeMar DeRozan to be their primary scoring weapon.

Golden State has dominated their matchups against the Rockets in recent years, winning 15 of their last 16 games against Houston. The most recent time these two teams met was on Dec. 11, when the Rockets defeated the Warriors by one point to eliminate them from the NBA Cup, a game that ended in a ton of controversy over certain calls made by the officials.

If the Warriors are to win each of their next four games, they would jump the Kings and Mavs in the standings. There is also a strong chance that they would pull even with or surpass the Minnesota Timberwolves and/or LA Clippers as well, who are currently tied for the 6-seed and only 2.5 games in front of Golden State.

Out of all the teams fighting for positioning in this play-in region of the West standings, the Warriors, believe it or not, find themselves in the best spot because they control their destiny.

Tiebreakers are going to play a huge factor in these standings. The Warriors are 1-1 against Dallas this season, 2-1 against Houston, and 0-2 against Sacramento. This four-game stretch offers Golden State a chance to take control of the tiebreakers over the Mavs and Rockets while giving themselves a chance later in the season to pull even with the Kings.

While the goal is to move up to the 6-seed in the conference, four straight wins and extending their current win streak to six total games could see the Warriors all of a sudden be in the conversation for an even better spot in the standings.

All possibilities are on the table for the Warriors right now, who enter the most important four-game stretch they will face all season. The good news is that the offense is clicking with Butler in the mix, and he could wind up being the X-factor in all of these upcoming pivotal games.

Jimmy Butler’s positive impact

Many questioned how Butler would fit in next to Draymond Green and Steph Curry. Between his playmaking skills and ability to do a little bit of everything on both ends of the court, Butler has been a perfect fit for the Warriors through his first two games.

While this may be a small sample size, the Warriors look like the team that went 12-3 to begin the year rather than the product they’ve been over the last several weeks. All that needed to change on offense was having at least one other player who could take the ball out of Curry’s hands so he doesn’t have to do everything for Golden State. Butler is that saving grace, and Steph’s efficiency has skyrocketed as a result.

“Every possession doesn’t feel as hard,” Curry told reporters after Monday’s game in Milwaukee. “You still see attention, you still see defenses, but you have to worry about something else. I want to be aggressive. Earlier in the year, that aggression didn’t necessarily lead to anything as consistently as it has the last two games.”

Throughout his career, Butler has made a living on the offensive side of the basketball by initiating his team’s offense and taking advantage of matchups. He is never afraid to put his head down and get to the rim, and he was always a great facilitator next to shooters when he took the Miami Heat to the NBA Finals in 2020 and 2023.

Due to the Warriors’ lack of playmaking outside Curry, they have struggled to score at times late in games because their opponents force someone other than Curry to make something happen. That is what happened in a 123-117 loss against the Kings on Jan. 22, as well as during a recent three-point loss on the road against the Utah Jazz on Feb. 5. Without someone else being able to step up, the Warriors ended up losing games they probably should’ve won.

Now that Butler can be that second guy next to Curry and really take control of the offense whenever he wants, the Warriors are a lot less predictable. This season, Golden State has been one of the worst teams in the league when it comes to getting to and converting at the free-throw line.

With Butler, the Warriors have been a lot more aggressive than usual. In fact, they’ve shot and made the second and third-most free throws in the league during this span, respectively.

“The guys feel really good about these two games, recognizing that both games were games we might have lost earlier in the season,” Kerr said on Monday. “The fact that Jimmy went to the line 15 times tonight and 13 times the other night shows you the power of free throws, the ability to get your defense set, and settle a game down when it needs settling.

“It’s a big change.”

Butler is a winner. He has led every organization he’s been with to the playoffs. While he is looking to do the same with the Warriors, Butler, like his new team, finds himself also having to adjust because he’s never had a teammate quite like Curry.

The Dubs have a long history of winning, and the four championship banners since 2015 that hang in the rafters of Chase Center speak for themselves. For Butler to finally reach championship glory, he is going to have to continue learning and thriving in his new secondary leadership role next to Steph.

These next four games against the Mavs, Kings, and Rockets are an excellent chance for Butler to continue building chemistry and proving to the NBA as a whole why they shouldn’t overlook the Warriors.

This honeymoon phase with Butler has been exactly what the Warriors needed. It is now time for the veteran star to prove his worth as it relates to the Western Conference playoff picture and Golden State’s chances of remaining in pursuit of another championship.