{"id":40508,"date":"2025-03-07T08:27:01","date_gmt":"2025-03-07T08:27:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=40508"},"modified":"2025-03-07T08:27:01","modified_gmt":"2025-03-07T08:27:01","slug":"on-jimmy-butlers-wtf-moments-subtle-and-subdued-compared-to-steph-currys-but-arguably-as-impactful","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=40508","title":{"rendered":"On Jimmy Butler\u2019s \u2018WTF\u2019 moments \u2014 subtle and subdued compared to Steph Curry\u2019s but arguably as impactful"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dubs are 9-1 in the Butler era.<\/p>\n

At the 9:34 mark of the fourth quarter in their game against the New York Knicks, the Golden State Warriors \u2014 at that moment, without Steph Curry on the floor, with Jimmy Butler as their designated offensive focal point \u2014 were getting ready to run a sideline out-of-bounds (SLOB) set. The NBC Sports Bay Area feed briefly flashed an image of Steve Kerr holding his hands up in what appeared to be a shrugging gesture.<\/p>\n

\"On <\/picture> <\/span><\/figure>\n

It may have looked like a gesture born out of confusion or protest, as if to say the three magical words: \u201cWTF?\u201d (abbreviated, of course \u2014 this is a family-friendly article). However, Kerr\u2019s shrugging motion is actually a play call for the Warriors to run one of their classic Kerr-era SLOB sets named \u2014 funnily enough \u2014 \u201cWTF,\u201d which stands for exactly what you think it does.<\/p>\n

Most play calls from coaches are yelled out loud, but of course, yelling out the three magic words can cause problems \u2014 from opposing teams knowing what\u2019s coming (they do most of the time, anyway), to young children sitting courtside being unnecessarily exposed to profanity. Kerr is cognizant of this and has chosen the \u201cshrug\u201d as his play call for \u201cWTF,\u201d as he previously explained in this article:<\/p>\n

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There\u2019s a play in today\u2019s NBA that can produce everything from a cut to the basket to a high-value 3-point shot. It\u2019s a side out-of-bounds box set that features interchangeable positions and multiple options. And whenever the Golden State Warriors run it, they have to pantomime.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t want my guys yelling out, \u2018WHAT THE F—!\u2019 with families and little kids sitting there,\u201d says Steve Kerr, head coach of the Warriors. \u201cSo I told them, \u2018Hold your arms up like you\u2019re shrugging.\u2019 It was a little less conspicuous that way.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s called the \u201cWhat the f—\u201d play.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\u201cWTF\u201d has several moving parts, with versions that differ depending on which team runs it. In the Warriors\u2019 case, the crux of the set involves a \u201crip\u201d screen \u2014 technical parlance for what\u2019s commonly known as a back screen. In \u201cWTF,\u201d the recipient of the rip screen is the one inbounding the ball.<\/p>\n

When Kerr calls out \u201cWTF\u201d above, Buddy Hield is assigned as the inbounder, with Butler as the one setting the rip screen. If no switch happens between Hield\u2019s defender and Butler\u2019s defender, this is what happens:<\/p>\n

<\/figure>\n

Knowing the history of \u201cWTF,\u201d having Butler (a non-shooter) set the rip screen for Hield (a shooter) is actually a departure from the norm. In past iterations, a shooter such as Curry is usually the one setting the rip screen, followed by Curry running off of a subsequent away screen.<\/p>\n

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Steph with the huuuge three off of the Dubs' "WTF" SLOB pic.twitter.com\/b7qx9ypZ4r<\/a><\/p>\n

— Joe Viray (@JoeVirayNBA) November 11, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n