Jimmy Butler has transformed the Golden State Warriors since his arrival.
The Golden State Warriors are a team rejuvenated thanks to Jimmy Butler. The trade deadline deal has given the team new energy, and another veteran leader to add to their core of Stephen Curry and Draymond Green.
Green in-particular has been speaking in excited terms about Butler’s addition, even proclaiming the Warriors will now go on to win the NBA title.
A test came their way on March 1, when Jimmy Butler was forced to sit out of their game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Jimmy Butler sustained an injury in the Warriors win over the Orlando Magic, in which Stephen Curry scored 56 points.
Speaking to ESPN, Shams Charania explained Butler is expected to simply be a short-term absence.
He said: “He has back spasms, he injured it on a specific play in the third quarter, early in the second half of their game in Orlando, on a collision with Wendell Carter Jr.
“I’m told he’s had treatment around the clock to try to play tonight, now moving forward thew Warriors are treating this like a day to day injury, we’ll see if he suits up Monday night, their next game.”
The game was the Warriors first game without Butler, and considering the opponent was on a nine-game loss streak, Stephen A. Smith considered his absence to be unimportant.
He blasted: “Let’s not make a big deal of Jimmy Butler being available tonight. Look who he’s playing against, I mean please, if ever there was a night to take off it was this one.
“OK lets get that out the way. The Sixers are just horrible.”
The prediction instantly backfired. The Philadelphia 76ers snapped their losing streak, beating the Butler-less Warriors 126-119.
The Philadelphia 76ers beat the Warriors thanks to a stupendous performance from Quentin Grimes, who scored a career high 44 points.
Coming off the news Joel Embiid has been shut down for the season, Grimes put up a 44-6-1 performance to lead the team.
It was a move that made the Dallas Mavericks look foolish for trading him, with the Sixers benefitting from valuable performances in the win too from Kelly Oubre Jr and Paul George.
The win was a reminder that there is still talent on the Sixers squad, and while Embiid is out for the season, this team is not in tank mode.
The Warriors found that out the hard way, and while another ‘easy’ game awaits against the Hornets next up, we would not expect Butler to sit that one out.
