When the Golden State Warriors acquired star forward Jimmy Butler III at the trade deadline, the team was laboring after slipping in the standings following a strong start to the season.
Jimmy Butler III has taken the Warriors to a whole new level
The team was in desperate need of a spark, and it appears that they got just that with Butler. Since his acquisition, the Dubs are 7-1 and have climbed up in the standings quickly. They are currently 32-28 and tied with the Los Angeles Clippers for the sixth seed in the Western Conference.
Warriors superstar Stephen Curry expressed how grateful he is to get to play alongside another star in Butler.
“There’s a reason we went to go get him, because he’s an unbelievable player that makes the game easy for everybody around him. Not just me,” Curry said, via Sports Illustrated’s Ben Stinar.
The Warriors can make a deep run with Butler and Curry
In his first eight games with Golden State, Butler is averaging 16.4 points, 5.8 rebounds and 5.6 assists. His addition has brought a big boost for both their offense and defense, and the hustle he provides on the court has energized a Warriors team that badly needed a spark.
If the Warriors envision making a deep run this year, they will be leaning on the duo of Curry and Butler to get them to where they want to be. Both players are known for taking big leaps in the playoffs, so the sky is the limit for this year’s Warriors team.
Golden State will have a big test coming up as they head to New York to take on the Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday.