The Golden State Warriors have truly been a new-look team since Jimmy Butler was traded to the Warriors. For Stephen Curry, the impact has been felt more than just being on the court together.
It's the stat sheet.
Although most don't care about numbers, there's one advanced metric that Curry cares deeply about. He explained via The Athletic's Anthony Slater following Sunday's 126-102 win over the Dallas Mavericks.
“The plus-minus tells the whole story,” Curry said postgame. “Totally different than what it was before, where you felt a little pressure to create separation because we were trying to fill some holes in those minutes.”
Throughout the season, the Warriors were humming on both sides when Curry was on the floor. However, they fell flat on their faces once he went to the bench. There wasn't that second elite player alongside him. As a result, other teams would go on large runs to either cut their deficit or grow their lead.
Since the former Miami Heat star has arrived in The Bay, it's been what the team has hoped. For example, Butler explained how he's in the full-blown honeymoon phase with his new team. Still, he's not the only one who's in the phase.
The Warriors see the improvement with Jimmy Butler, Stephen Curry
Article Continues BelowLuckily, the All-Star point guard isn't the only one to see a notable change. Head coach Steve Kerr sees the improvements as well, specifically on the defensive side.
He mentioned the defensive metrics of a three-man Butler, Green, and Podziemski unit. In 108 minutes together spread over six games, they are a plus-58 with a 98.7 defensive rating. The numbers came from the Warriors' internal analytics team. Either way, having Butler on the floor without Curry is a huge advantage for the team.
“The game feels easier right now for us,” Kerr said. “Every play is not as crucial when there’s a consistency in the game. You can make a mistake and keep playing and not feel like, ‘Oh, my god, we’ve got to flip things right now.’ I just think the consistency of what we’re seeing defensively is setting the tone.”
Since the move, the Warriors have climbed back into the playoff picture, as well as the play-in race. They sit at 30-27 and have won five of their last six games. Even if it's been a honeymoon phase for Butler, his impact is being felt in every way. Golden State takes on the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday.
Maybe then, the team will continue to ride high and solidify themselves in the playoff race going forward.