The Golden State Warriors enter the second leg of a back-to-back against the Chicago Bulls short-handed but confident. Stephen Curry remains out, along with Draymond Green and Al Horford, as they continue to recover from injuries, leaving Golden State without two of their anchors.
On the bright side, Jimmy Butler returns tonight—upgraded to probable—as he provides a significant two-way boost to the Warriors in a matchup that will require his toughness, playmaking, and defensive prowess.
Seth Curry and De’Anthony Melton are also available, offering much-needed stability to the guard rotation.
The Warriors must remained disciplined to secure the victory
Chicago started the season strong with a 6-1 record but has since gone an abysmal 3-12. Led by premier playmaker Josh Giddey and microwave scorer Coby White, the Bulls haven’t been able to stay healthy with a very top-heavy roster.
Their losing record doesn’t matter much when facing the Warriors, and as disciplined as Golden State has appeared in recent games, maintaining that discipline will be key to victory tonight. The Bulls’ athleticism and volume scorers can keep them close in any contest, but their defense is weak—ranked in the bottom three league-wide in opponents’ points per game.
This lack of discipline, coupled with their seven-game losing streak, is something Golden State must exploit.
Butler and Spencer have the ability to carry Golden State tonight
Pat Spencer, the breakout player for the Warriors this season, is averaging 17.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 5.7 assists on impressive 58/75/100 shooting splits over the last three games.
His obsession with greatness makes him a perfect teammate in terms of the game, but as a player, his decisiveness off the dribble and his knack for creating clean looks for teammates have turned him into a stabilizing force for the second unit.
Spencer’s relentless drive to succeed will help him win matchups as a hungrier player eager to secure his spot on the Warriors, unlike someone in the third year of a max contract lacking that same level of determination.
Gifting this current version of Spencer to Jimmy Butler is like giving a paintbrush to Leonardo da Vinci. Butler will shape Spencer’s potential to even greater heights, adding to the Warriors’ already versatile attack.
Once Curry returns, with players like Melton, Seth, Spencer, and Post fitting into the puzzle, the Warriors will be nearly unstoppable. The Warriors sit at 12-12 but are riding a wave of momentum.
A perfect storm is brewing—claiming victory tonight with four days of rest and a potential Curry return Friday night. The signs point toward a Warriors winning streak; they just need to stay hungry and seize the moment.
