Golden State on the Rise with Jimmy Butler Leading the Way

On Feb. 5, the Warriors found themselves at a crossroads with a record of 25-25. The team was a blend of experienced veterans and promising young players, with one foot in their championship aspirations and the other in building for the future.

It was clear, though, that this Golden State squad as is was not in a position to add any more rings to their collection. Something had to give for Stephen Curry and Draymond Green to have a chance to raise another banner. 

Jimmy Butler’s demands to exit Miami would create the opportunity Golden State needed. The Warriors were able to add a high-level player without mortgaging their future and giving up young players like Brandin Podziemski, Moses Moody, or the currently injured Jonathan Kuminga.

 Instead, they would give up veterans Andrew Wiggins, Kyle Anderson, and Dennis

Schröder. 

The trade for Butler would provide immediate dividends to a team that seemed to be treading water. The 35-year-old made his debut with the team on Feb. 8 against the Bulls and score 25 points on 7-for-12 shooting in a 132-111 victory. 

In all, Golden State is 6-1 with Butler on the floor and has pushed their record to 31-27. Although they still sit as just the No. 8 seed in the West, they are only one game out from avoiding the play-in and holding the No. 6 spot. With 24 games remaining in the season, if this improved play can continue, they have plenty of time to make even more noise in the West. 

Aside from the 6-1 record, it’s how they’re doing it and how quickly their fortunes have changed that is so impressive. Four of their six wins came on a five-game road trip that featured wins over Milwaukee and Houston. They also have a

17.0 net rating

during the stretch, the second-highest mark by any team in the league over their last seven games. 

Before the trade, the Warriors ranked

18th in offensive rating

and

10th in defensive rating

. Since the trade, they rank

fifth in offensive rating

and

No. 1 in defensive rating

. 

Butler is a renowned leader on the court, demanding defense. Golden State’s improvement on that end of the floor with Butler shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. It’s the changes on the offensive end that are the most notable and significant. 

Operating as a point-forward has opened up the team’s offense and taken away some of the play-making duties falling on Curry. It also directs more defensive attention toward Butler and forces teams to put a bigger and longer body on Butler, as opposed to Steph. This has resulted in greater success for Curry, who is averaging

27.0 points per game

over his last seven games, an increase from his 23.3 points per game on the season as a whole. He’s also shooting a more efficient 48.5% from the floor during this run, as opposed to his 43.9% field-goal percentage on the season. 

It’s not just Curry, though, who has taken off during this stretch. The play of Moody and Podziemski has surged as well. With Schröder’s exit via the trade for Butler, minutes have opened up for the two, and both are delivering. Moody has scored in double figures in each of his last six games and is averaging 3.3 more points per game since the trade. Podziemski has seen his scoring average increase to 14.1 points per game, up from 10.1 before Butler’s arrival. 

If the Warriors can continue playing at this level and prove they’re not just experiencing a momentary upswing of momentum, they’ll be a dangerous foe for any team they step on the court with. Beyond that, they may prove to be one of the favorites again in the West, preserving the Warriors dynasty and making the addition of another championship banner attainable. 

You can catch Jimmy Butler and the new-look Warriors live on

NBA League Pass

tonight at 7 p.m. ET against the

Orlando Magic

.