The Golden State Warriors picked up their first home win with Jimmy Butler on the roster, as they beat the Dallas Mavericks 126-102 in the Chase Center. It was great revenge for the franchise as the Mavericks had beaten them two weeks ago and handed Butler his first loss in Warriors colors.
After securing the revenge win, Butler remarked now that he’s gotten his first home win with the Warriors, he needs to secure an actual home to live in.
“First game is a DUB. That’s always good. Now, I gotta find somewhere to live. I got nowhere to live out here.”
"First game is a DUB…now I gotta find somewhere to live…"
Jimmy after his first game in Golden State with the Warriors 😂 pic.twitter.com/l5EIVCpQMS
— NBA (@NBA) February 23, 2025
Butler’s comedic timing is incredible, as he stares into the camera after revealing he’s yet to find a place in his new city. The Warriors were in the middle of a lengthy seven-game road trip which started on the trade deadline.
They went 4-1 on the road with Butler on the franchise, and have now won their first home game since acquiring the star. He’s averaged 20.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 5.5 assists in six games.
Their only loss in this stretch came to the Mavericks, and they avenged that in dominant fashion tonight.
Butler put up 18 points (5-9 FG), three rebounds, five assists, and one steal in tonight’s win, finishing the game as a +28. It was a very impactful shift by Butler, who’s transformed the Warriors both on and off-ball since joining.
He can now start the process of fitting into San Francisco, and finding a house will be crucial for that. The Warriors gave him a contract extension before he played a single game, so Butler knows he’s looking to have a relatively long-term stay with the franchise.
He’s turning 36 years old in 2025, so he’ll hope to maximize the Warriors’ championship window in the coming seasons.
Draymond Green Believes The Warriors Are Title Contenders With Jimmy Butler
Jimmy’s new teammate, Draymond Green, has publicly endorsed the acquisition of the forward. He might have endorsed it too aggressively, as he declared the Warriors would win an NBA Championship with Butler on their side.
“I think that we were kind of headed in the wrong direction, thinking we figured it out and never figuring it out throughout the course of this year. Since he’s been here, we’ve walked into every game thinking and believing we’re going to win that game. And that goes a long way in this league.”
“When you walk in the game like, ‘Aw man, we’re probably going to lose this game,’ it’s not good. He’s brought back that belief, and I think we’re going to win the championship.”
The start to Butler’s Warriors tenure has been great. However, we need to wait and see if the Warriors have enough as a franchise when Jonathan Kuminga returns from injury.
Tonight’s win improved their record to 30-27, good enough for the No. 9 seed in the West. They’re just half a game behind the Mavericks in No. 8, so a push up the standings is realistic. They’re just 1.5 games behind the No. 6 seeded Los Angeles Clippers, so there’s a real chance Golden State becomes a Playoff contender.
But the Playoffs aren’t the same as winning a title. They don’t have enough continuity or good enough production from the overall roster to challenge teams like the OKC Thunder. This is a great forward step, but a title bid likely materialize next season.
