Gravity: Why the Warriors are 10 – 1 with Jimmy Butler

BROOKLYN: The Golden State Warriors just ended a five-game road trip with a 121-119 win over the Brooklyn Nets, despite being down 22 points in the very first quarter. It marked their tenth with Jimmy Butler.

Stephen Curry had 40 points in the game, and if not for his heroics, the Dubs would have surely lost. However, there’s a reason the Golden State star is able to perform to the degree he has been lately. And that reason’s name is Jimmy Butler. In the eleven games that Butler has played with the Warriors, the Dubs are 10-1.   

So, what is it about Butler that has allowed the Warriors to find new life in the latter half of the season?

Gravity

Butler is no doubt a great scorer, adding 25 points to the Warriors total in their most recent win against Brooklyn. But, it isn’t simply the points he provides on a nightly basis, but rather the threat of his scoring ability that allows Curry to be himself again. In other words, it’s his gravity.

That word is one Warriors’ fans will be familiar with. It’s the word they use against anyone who doubts Curry’s greatness, pointing to his off-ball pressure. When Curry’s on the court, regardless of he’s scoring or not, the threat that he presents forces defenders to prioritize shutting him down. That usually involves chasing the 6’3 guard around the arc or double teaming him at half court.

In the golden days, that gravity opened up the court for Curry’s teammates. It was a lethal tool when the Warriors had access to one of the other greatest shooters of all time, Klay Thompson, in the corner. Or when they had arguably the greatest offensive talent the NBA has ever seen in Kevin Durant. But, those days are mere memories for Warrior fans now.

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Resurgence

Early in the season, it seemed that the Dubs were still a dominant force with their new line-up. Through their first 15 games in the season, the Warriors were 12-3. That was largely due to the hole Buddy Hield was filling, leading as the Warrior’s highest scorer in half of those wins. However, that didn’t last, as Hield’s three-point efficiency fell. He was no longer a threat.

The very thing that is one of Stephen Curry’s greatest assets on a well-built roster, becomes his greatest weakness when he is the only scoring threat on the court. His gravity makes the goal clear for other teams. Shut Curry down and you will win.

Butler’s addition complicated that equation. Since the 35-year-old small forward debuted with the Warriors in early February, Curry’s average points per game has blown up. With Butler on the court, Curry is averaging 30 points per game, eight points more than he was before the trade. That gives him the second-best PPG since February 9. The Warriors are also tied with the Oklahoma City Thunder for the second-best record in the league since that date.

Butler can operate as another primary ball handler that can score at any time. He provides pressure in the paint that forces defenders to cut off the lane. And if they do, Butler can kick it out to Curry who will have just enough space to sink a shot from beyond the arc.

What’s more, when both are on the court, the two gravitational pulls they spawn opens up scoring for the supporting cast, allowing Hield to be a threat as a third option, as well as providing more opportunities for the likes of Brandon Podziemski and Moses Moody. Having a second star in the line-up has also allowed the Warriors to do away with their 12-man rotation, leaving either Curry or Butler on the court at all times to provide a steady flow of points.

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Title Aspirations

The resurgence Warriors fans are seeing is thanks to Curry once again becoming the engine of the offense, something that’s only possible because of the freedom from suffocating defence that Butler makes possible. But, is that enough to go all the way?

Despite Draymond emphatically believing it is, with him stating as much at the all-star weekend, it likely won’t be.

“I’m sorry, I said I think we’re going to win a championship but I lied, we are going to win the championship.”

The Warriors still lack an experienced big man and will be outdone in second chance scoring opportunities. Other rosters such as the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Denver Nuggets, and the Boston Celtics just seem too well-balanced to lose to a Warrior’s side that while being much more effective that they were just months ago, still needs time to develop and a proper big man to become playoff competitive.

However, with that being said, the Warriors don’t have the luxury of time. Curry turns 37 years old next week. Butler turns 36 in September. This season or the next may be the last chance the Dubs have to add one more championship to their incredible decade long run. And while they don’t have the best squad in the conference, they do have two things that could propel them to a title. To wit, experience, as Golden State is no stranger to a deep playoff run with a ring at the end of it, and confidence, something Green spoke up just before he made his aforementioned declaration.   

“Since [Butler’s] been here, we’ve walked into every game thinking and believing that were going to win that game, and that goes a long way in this league,” Draymond said.

“He’s brought back that belief.”

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