That’s what star forward Jimmy Butler of the Golden State Warriors just told us. The New Orleans Pelicans forward shared some of his thoughts following a difficult first round playoff exit against the Minnesota Timberwolves. We learned that Butler incurred a deep bone bruise in his tailbone, which clearly affected his play in the most pivotal games. He incurred the injury after a hard fall chasing down a rebound in Game 2. Consequently, he faltered in the matches that followed.
With one major setback this season, Butler wasn’t going to allow that to stop him. Electrifying as ever, he averaged a ridiculous 17.9 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists. Once he arrived on February 8, everything turned around for the Warriors. They improved from a 25-26 record to a 23-8 stretch run. This dramatic reversal landed them in the middle of the playoff race and proved Butler’s impact — both on the court and as a teammate — can’t be overstated.
Even in that playoff series against Minnesota, Butler’s play was impacted by sickness as well. In Game 4, he shot only nine times and was largely a nonfactor. Game 5 he was 4-11 from the field, and 17 points wasn’t enough in a 121-110 elimination game loss. Despite the disappointing results, Butler’s regular season contributions haven’t gone unnoticed.
Butler said he liked the idea of joining the other stars, specifically the Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. For one, he was very happy about the clarity at the tippy-top of the roster. As he was the first to concede, there are still a lot of decisions that need to be made during the summer months. You can tell he gets great joy from being the guy with the dirt on the jersey as part of that team. He said, “I am just happy with myself, I’m really happy with how this whole situation has unfolded.”
Curry echoed Butler’s sentiments regarding their teamwork. He defined their chemistry best when he noted, “From that very first game in Chicago until last night, it clicked. He and I had an amazing chemistry that played off of one another and created the fear that we could beat anybody on any given night and really make a push up the standings.”
Butler understood what was at stake for the team this summer. That A-B testing is invaluable when it comes to surviving another grueling 82-game marathon. Most importantly, he mentioned that personal preparation will likely be the key to success. “We hope this ride can go on forever,” enthused Curry. Their commitment to remaining the best in the world was a point that he really drove home.
As the offseason looms, Butler seemed optimistic when speaking about being able to be on the court for extended periods with his teammates. The prospect of a full training camp and season together excites him: “I landed here, and we hit the ground running, and I’m comfortable. I’m happy. I got my joy back.”
Butler’s move to Golden State has been a career renaissance. He has the opportunity to work hands on with some of basketball’s most elite players. He just enjoys playing next to Curry. He’s flattered that they consider it “really good thing” to be known as the sidekick to one of the best players in the history of basketball.
Draymond Green recognized Butler’s significance to the team, stating, “The biggest change that needed to be made was we needed someone like Jimmy Butler.” His presence has undoubtedly energized and brought confidence back into the Warriors’ locker room.
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