The arrival of Jimmy Butler in Golden State has infused the Warriors with renewed belief in their Finals potential.
Periodically, NBA.com’s writers will weigh in on key storylines or trending topics around the league.
Are the Warriors, who were 10th in the West in early February, suddenly a legit threat in the West?
Steve Aschburner
Climbing from 10th to sixth sure hollers “legit threat” to me. In some combination of basketball reasons and the bounce it gave the Warriors mentally, the team’s acquisition of Jimmy Butler has proven to be transformational, sparking them to a 15-3 run since Butler arrived.
Butler fits on the floor because he enables Golden State to shift gears, slow down, grind in the halfcourt and get to the foul line. And since this is Honeymoon Jimmy, he’s committed, available and “joyful.” The two-year extension Golden State gifted him upon arrival syncs Butler up with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green for another run or two at postseason excitement.
In this team’s case, “legit threat” tops out at the conference semifinals. A first-round upset could happen, but Golden State lacks the rebounding and rim protection to push beyond that.
Brian Martin
Despite Monday’s loss to Denver — which was only Golden State’s second loss in 17 games with Jimmy Butler in the lineup — the Warriors must be taken seriously come playoff time. Eight of the past 10 NBA Finals have featured Stephen Curry and Draymond Green with Golden State (2015-20, ’22) or Butler with Miami (2020, ’23).
Adding a player with Butler’s playoff pedigree to the most successful team of the past decade makes this squad dangerous. That’s particularly true for some of the younger teams the Warriors could match up with early in the postseason. Since Butler’s debut on Feb. 8, the Warriors have been a top-five team in both offensive (118.8, 5th) and defensive (107.6, 2nd) efficiency. Ranking in the top five on both ends of the court has been a hallmark of title-contending teams, which the new-look Warriors now resemble.
Shaun Powell
A legit threat, as in winning the West? Given there’s only one team (Oklahoma City) seemingly a cut above everyone else, give the Warriors a puncher’s chance, assuming everything falls right. That’s a best-case scenario.
There are two reasons the Warriors should feel frisky: Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler are certified as players who meet the postseason’s challenge. Draymond Green is a winner, too.
So, then, it’s all about Jonathan Kuminga, the supporting cast members and whether those lights will be too bright should they find themselves in a moment-of-truth situation (either with the ball or charged with stopping someone).
John Schuhmann
There’s an opening for the role of second-best team in the Western Conference, and the Warriors are as qualified as any other team to fill it. They’re 15-2 with Jimmy Butler in the lineup, ranking in the top five on both ends of the floor since his addition. It hasn’t been the toughest stretch of the schedule, but it includes road wins over the Bucks, Rockets and Knicks. Butler hasn’t been particularly good offensively, shooting just 44.8% in his 17 games with Golden State.
Once again, the Western Conference playoffs should be terrific. The Thunder are the obvious favorites, but any of the other teams in the top eight could reach the conference finals. Questions for the Warriors could come down to offense, and they’ll probably need Butler to (again) shoot better in the playoffs than he has in the regular season.
