The Warriors registered their third win in four games since Jimmy Butler’s arrival. They defeated the Houston Rockets 105-98 at the Toyota Center. There’s a new energy that can be felt in the way the Warriors are playing with the new forward in the squad. After the win, veteran Draymond Green gave his assessment of the recent performances.
Green heaped praise on his new teammate, calling him a “franchise changer.” Referring to what Butler has done in the past, Green stated that he is now going to have the same positive impact on the Warriors.
He said, “He is helping revitalize what we’ve got here. The belief amongst this team now that he’s arrived as opposed to what it was before he got here, it’s night and day.” After winning back-to-back games, the Warriors lost the third game against the Mavericks. It was a close game until the final minute, but then a few blunders led to a 107-111 loss.
Draymond Green said Butler is a “franchise changer” for the Warriors.
“He’s helping revitalize what we’ve got here. The belief amongst this team now that he’s arrived as opposed to what it was before he got here — it’s night and day.”
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Green said that the game got away from them, but they have bounced back stronger with a dominant performance against the Rockets. He said, “Just having a guy like that changes everything. So, after four games…the assessment is great.”
Coach Steve Kerr echoed a similar sentiment in the post-game interview.
He said, “Jimmy is the real deal. Complete basketball player. Methodical. Under control all the time. Plays at his own pace. Never turns it over. Sees the game and can get to the line frequently. Great closer.”
Butler registered 19 points with eight rebounds and four assists while shooting 6 of 15 from the field. Even with a decent start to his Warriors tenure, Butler is hungry for more.
Jimmy Butler regrets losing the game against the Mavericks
Despite winning three out of the last four games and making a good comeback, Butler is still left with regrets over the Mavs loss. After tonight’s win, he said that it made him “sick” to his stomach. Butler believes that the Warriors roster is full of quality players who know how to turn things around. Because of that, he believes they should be 4/4 so far.
He said, “When you put a bunch of good basketball players together on the floor, they always figure out a way to win. We should be 4-0. I’m not going to lie to you. Sick to my stomach because of it since I got here. But we’re going to figure it out.”
In four games, he is averaging 21.3 points, 7 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.3 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game. Butler was particularly unhappy with the turnovers in the last game and believed that it led to the loss. With the All-Star break coming up, he will be able to use that time to get his body right for the upcoming games. The 35-year-old is hoping to shoulder a bigger load for his team after the break.
