After missing Game 3 of the Warriors‘ first-round series vs. Houston due to a pelvic contusion, Jimmy Butler was back on the floor for Game 4 on Monday and played a key role in Golden State’s narrow victory. Speaking to reporters after the game, the star forward admitted he was in “a lot of pain,” per Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.
“Did you see me on that chase-down of Dillon Brooks?” Butler asked Anthony Slater of The Athletic, referencing a second-quarter play when he had to sprint after Brooks to stop the Rockets forward from finishing an easy break-away layup (video link).
Butler got there and committed a foul to prevent the basket, but his mobility looked compromised and he wasn’t running full-speed, as he acknowledged after the game.
As Slater relays, head coach Steve Kerr told reporters that Butler would “probably miss another week or two” as a result of his injury if this were the regular season, which Butler didn’t dispute. “But it’s the playoffs and he’s Jimmy Butler,” Kerr said. “This is what he does.”
“He played through the injury,” teammate Draymond Green added, per Youngmisuk. “Was beautiful. But what his presence does for this team is humongous. The first three quarters, he couldn’t move. Not sure how he started moving in the fourth quarter, but he never complained. He stuck with it.”
Butler, who finished with a team-high 27 points, also recorded six assists and five rebounds while getting to the free throw line 12 times. He came up big defensively too, soaring in to grab a crucial rebound off a missed shot by Alperen Sengun that would’ve given the Rockets the lead with five seconds left in the game (video link).
As Green observed, Butler seemed to get better as the game progressed, scoring 14 of his points in the fourth quarter and not spending any team on the bench during that final frame.
“Your body starts to warm up. You start to feel a little bit better. You gain confidence,” Butler explained. “People start talking to you. Then good things happen.”
Asked whether his reference to “people talking” to him was about Brooks, Butler confirmed as much. When a reporter asked a follow-up question about whether he and Brooks were having “fun” going back and forth at each other, Butler made it clear that wasn’t how he viewed it.
“No, we’re not having fun,” Butler said (Twitter video link). “Get me on the record with this: I don’t like Dillon Brooks. We’re never having fun. I’m a fierce competitor. He’s a fierce competitor. There ain’t nothing fun about that. … I don’t think anybody is trying to be friends with anybody on either team, that’s for sure.”
What does Jimmy love more basketball or attention…smdh another product of social media and our current day in age
Says the guy who posts for attention every day
I contribute basketball opinions if you don’t like them the mute button is right there. What a poor attitude you have.
Wow…You must be a product of the Tik-Tok generation. He was responding to a question from a reporter at the post-game press conference. The Warriors, and probably the NBA, put him up to it. They have been doing these interviews long before Social Media was even technically possible. But, here you are using Social Media to criticize him.
Did you notice that Kerr said Jimmy would have been out at least a week if it weren’t for the playoffs? I think that answers your question as to what Jimmy loves more.
I’m not im part of the greatest generation. He knows exactly what he is doing. “Get me on the record I don’t like Dylan brooks”. He wants that to become a meme so people buy more coffee and he can have more instagram followers. If he was still on Miami you’d feel the same way.
If you are a part of the Greatest Generation then you would definitely know that these post-game interviews have been going on long before computers existed. It is probably written into his contract that he had to appear. Do you really think he wants to sit for these things when he is in this much pain. But, since you are in your late 90s, I guess you know a lot about pain.
Even with the refs screwing the Warriors at every possible opportunity (even on replays), GSW is a superior team to the Rockets by every metric. The Rockets need a better scorer than FVV. That’s the area they should look at upgrading this offseason. Trading for Kyrie might be a wise move.
Playoffs Jimmy Playoffs Draymond Playoffs Steph = GSW is going deep this year.
Just to get to the 2nd round of playoffs should be a win for the warriors considering the squad they have…I would say that’s a pass… going to be tough in the next round… definitely has worked out well with Jimmy but they need a few more pieces over the offseason…add some depth..
Not sure who they match up with better, Lakers or Wolves, but Wolves looking solid at the moment
The only West teams possibly sending the Warriors home early are the Thunder and Nuggets.
They added Jimmy and went 23-7. They started 12-3 with Melton til he got hurt. This was always a top 4 team that Kerr once again, bungled the second his most complicated rotations experienced injury. Wiggins was legit terrible since winning the title, and no one wanted to admit it. The jump from Wiggins to Butler is grand canyon-esque. Not-even-touching tiers. Himmy is several tiers above overrated Wiggins. If anything the fact they beat Houston without Jimmy really makes me believe in them even more.
Kerr is going to injure GP2 if he keeps relying on him like this. I would rest him and only play GP2 in 4Q because his energy plays up even more vs a tired team.
That is a pretty bizarre take. You are saying Kerr caused Melton’s injury? He only played in 6 games. Kerr’s rotations at the start of the season were because players were not shooting.
I think you are underestimating the Warriors. They beat the Wolves in 3 of 4 games. That was before Jimmy arrived. Butler has freed up Curry who was being double and triple teamed. Podz wasn’t a factor in those earlier games, but has become a reliable 20pts a night. Post is getting more comfortable. I wouldn’t be surprised if he had a few games where scores 10+pts and grabs 10 rebounds.
Jimmy Butler…
A great heel character…
Dillon Brooks…
A great heel character…
Which one pulls the face turn?
Given most people hate the Warriors thanks to their ridiculous fan base…
It’ll be Dillon turning into John Cena…
Dillion turned Rockets into being hated just like he did in Memphis. Grizzlies do not have the same bad attitude since he left. Now the cancer Brooks spread it to the Rockets.
Whilst all of that is true…
He is facing Jimmy Butler and the Warriors…
Its a complete waste of time trying to get Dillon heat when they just have to show up…
Your arrogance and jealousy are on full display. Where do you get this belief that most people hate the Warriors? You obviously do. But, I doubt you speak for most people. How did they get to be the NBA franchise that sells the most merchandise if everyone hates them? That is a pretty odd marketing ploy to be successful.
Cena just turned heel. Your analogy has no teeth.