SAN FRANCISCO – After most games, Jimmy Butler’s voice barely reaches the level of a soft whisper during postgame interviews, barely audible to those straining to hear him.
On the court during Tuesday night, though?
He could be heard, loud and clear, notedly loquacious teammate Draymond Green said after Butler scored 38 points in a 121-116 play-in victory over Memphis in his postseason debut for the Warriors.
“He had not yelled at anybody since he’s been here,” Green said, before adding. “He’s, like, yelling at guys now. Like it’s a totally different person.”
Since arriving from South Beach in February, Butler has been the catalyst for the Warriors’ playoff push.
If there was any foolish doubt that he would shine in the playoffs among so many other stars, that was dismissed on Tuesday night.
It was more of the same for Butler, who has found his voice on the team.
Butler yelled after making tough layups, key defensive stops and rim-rattling dunks that shifted momentum back to a Warriors team in search of championship No. 5 of the Steph Curry-Green-Kerr era.
He also made sure teammates heard him when they were not in the right defensive position, or running the correct offensive set.
“Whenever I talk to Steph and Dray and Steve and Mike (Dunleavy) before I even got here, I was telling them, I can help,” Butler said. “Now, I don’t know in what manner that I can help, but we’re going to make the playoffs.”
Golden State Warriors’ Jimmy Butler III (10) defends against Memphis Grizzlies’ Zach Edey (14) in first quarter of their NBA play-in tournament game at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)The Houston-area native is now headed back to his hometown, where the seventh-seeded Warriors will take on the No. 2 seed Rockets.
His gaudy point total was his highest this season, one more than Curry’s 37.
Butler shot 12-of-20 from the field, and had seven rebounds, six assists and three steals.
Butler’s higher-volume persona may have been new, but his incredible production in high-stakes games is nothing out of the ordinary.
The 35-year-old forward spent years carrying flawed Miami rosters far beyond reasonable expectations by putting up 30- and 40-point games.
He got to the line 18 times – and chided himself for missing six of those free throws – to help give his team easy points against a spirited Memphis team that refused to fold.
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Butler, who stands at 6-foot-7, was often tasked with guarding Grizzlies post players like the 7-foot-4 Zach Edey and 7-foot forward Santi Aldama.
While Butler said he did not particularly enjoy banging with the bigs on the low block, the team’s defensive cornerstone certainly appreciated his effort.
“Seen it the last few nights where he’s turned it up completely on both sides of the ball,” Green said.
Butler later admitted he prefers to defend wings, but there was no argument that the future Hall of Famer benefited from being marked on the other end by slow-footed centers.
“I feel like I have the opportunity here to pick my spots incredibly well, and they are always looking to get me the ball in my spots where I can be aggressive and put the ball in the basket or make the right play for the next individual,“ Butler said.
That versatility will allow Butler to have an impact in multiple facets of the game against a Houston team that is known for overwhelming athleticism and having even more imposing size on the block.
Overcoming that will be a tall task for Golden State, but Butler likes his chances. After all, how many teams in the Western Conference have two superstars?
“Hell, I think any team has a chance when I’m on the team, but I know that every team has a chance if Steph is on the team,” Butler said.
Golden State Warriors’ Jimmy Butler III (10) is fouled by Memphis Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr. (13) in third quarter of their NBA play-in tournament game at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) Read More Details
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