SAN FRANCISCO – Jimmy Butler has made such a stark difference during his short stay with Golden State that Warriors forward Draymond
Green went on record last week as saying they’re going to win the NBA title this season.
Since acquiring Butler from the Miami Heat earlier this month, the Warriors have posted an impressive 5-1 record. The lone loss was against the Mavericks – 118-113 – in the last game before the All-Star break.
However, Butler and the Warriors got revenge on Sunday when they defeated the Mavs, 126-102, at Chase Center. It was Butler’s first home game as a member of the Warriors and he finished with 18 points and five assists, perhaps transforming the Warriors into a team capable of going deep into the playoffs.
“You can tell our fans see the difference (in Golden State with Butler),” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “They feel the momentum just like we do. It was an important shift.”
Butler is averaging 20 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.5 assists in his six games with the Warriors. He truly has helped the Warriors make a seismic shift in terms of playoff expectations.
“The trade itself — we needed it,” Kerr said. “We felt. . .we were kind of treading water.
“We couldn’t get any traction in the season and (Warriors general manager) Mike (Dunleavy) sensed it and made the move, and you can feel the shift. Sometimes you’ve got to shake things up, and we shook things up.”
Here are th
e takeaways from the Warriors’ 24-point win over the Mavs.
*Warriors guard Stephen Curry was in his bag against the Mavs, scoring a game-high 30 points on 12-of-20 shots. He also was 3-of-8 from three-point range in addition to contributing seven assists in just 29 minutes.
*Mavs forward P. J. Washington tallied a team-high tying 17 points in 28 minutes. Washington was an efficient 7-of-11 from the field, including 3-of-4 from beyond the three-point arc. He also wound up with four rebounds and three assists.
*The Warriors took advantage of the fact that the Mavs’ most talented centers are on the injured list. Golden State outrebounded the Mavs, 54-42, including 17-8 on the offensive end of the floor. The Warriors outscored the Mavs in second-chance points, 17-11, and also outscored them in fast break points, 30-11.
X: @DwainPrice
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