Jimmy Butler Returns to Lift Warriors Over Rockets in Game Four

The Warriors didn’t need Jimmy Butler for their big win in game three.

Spurred by an ever-reliable Stephen Curry, they rallied around their point guard and put up a strong effort to go up 2-1 in the series. They sure needed him in game four.

(Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)

In a pivotal game that could swing all momentum towards Golden State, Butler showed exactly why the Warriors signed him to the deal they did.

He put the team on his back, scored when it mattered the most, and helped his team cross the finish line.

Hitting big shots and making role players better is exactly what superstars do

While the Warriors wouldn’t have fallen too far with a game four loss, a win squarely put them in the driver’s seat. That’s exactly what Butler did.

The Ability to Finish Strong

The Warriors came into game four with a lot of momentum. Still, there were many questions surrounding Butler.

Not only did the superstar have to sit out game three due to injury, but he only had a few days to recover from that injury before being back on the court.

With such uncertainty swirling around, the Rockets came out stronger than Golden State.

The Warriors won the first quarter 28-26, but they were on the backfoot the entire time

They then dropped the second quarter, 31-22, which gave the Rockets a strong seven point halftime lead.

Things shifted in the third.

Once again spurred by a strong resilience, the Warriors flipped the score and won the third quarter by nine points. With the game tight, the Rockets had a few opportunities to pull ahead. Each time, they couldn’t deal with Jimmy Butler.

The athletic guard scored 14 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter, showing why he’s so highly lauded.

His clutch factor is almost unmatched in the NBA, and on a relative down night from Stephen Curry (17 points) he came up big time and time again in what became a 109-106 Golden State victory.

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A True Team Effort

Butler’s big night shows why he’s important to the Warriors organization. Curry is more than capable of winning games on his own, but he’s not always going to be on. They need someone else to step up.

What made game four so important, is that it wasn’t just Butler coming up big

Brandin Podziemski also had a career night. The young guard ended the night with 26 points, five assists, and five rebounds. He had a key block down the stretch as well.

That showing reveals that the Warriors are entering the right groove at the right time

The series may not be over, but unlike many other teams in the West, they aren’t just propped up by their superstars. They have a solid roster that’s not afraid of the moment.

Buddy Hield, who scored 15 on the night, gave the Warriors a 102-101 edge on a sidestep 3-pointer with 3:18 left in the game.

That then allowed Butler to extend the lead on a tough layup during their next possession. Quinten Post added 13 points too.

While Gary Payton II, Draymond Green, and Moses Moody all had down nights, they each hustled well and are more than capable of putting up solid numbers.

That all comes together to create a solid roster that now has the Warriors up 3-1.

One Game Away

Golden State knew they had a chance at making a Finals run after signing Jimmy Butler. While they had some turbulence during the end of the season that landed them in the play-in game, those days are far behind them.

The Warriors are pushing more than ever before and they have Houston on the ropes

They also managed to win one game where Curry was inconsistent, and one game without Butler. Such setbacks would sink other teams, but Golden State keeps finding ways to win.

The number seven seed has only beaten the number two seed six times in NBA history, and only twice since the first round moved to best-of-seven in 2003.

The Lakers beat the Grizzlies in 2023, and the Spurs took down the Mavericks in 2010.

While the Warriors aren’t in that boat quite yet, they have all the makings of an upset

If they do pull it off, there’s no telling exactly how far they go. Not just because of their stars or strong bench, but because they’re more than capable of handling adversity.

They’ve battled back plenty of times this season in numerous games

The Rockets shot better than them from the field in game four, but their three point shooting and stout defense made the difference.

If they keep looking for the edge and finding the big shots in big moments, there’s no telling how far they could go.