Before Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler revealed how to beat the Houston Rockets in the opening round of the playoffs, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr discussed how Butler revolutionized his offense. After he scored a game-high 38 points in a 121-116 win against the Memphis Grizzlies, propelling his team to victory, Jimmy demonstrated how devastating Golden State’s iso attack can be alongside All-Star Stephen Curry (37 points).
The duo combined for a whopping 75 points en route to a five-point victory. After the game, Kerr explained how Butler revamped his team’s offense, per The Athletic’s Anthony Slater.
“You guys can see it. We have morphed into a different team,” Kerr said. “We have the movement and the flow of Steph. But we’ve also become a great iso team for half a game. We’ve never been a great iso team here. There’s great advantage to that — to be able to get to the line, to be able to generate offense without having to fly around, and set a million screens. Jimmy has completely changed everything for us since he’s been here, and tonight was a good example of that.”
Steve Kerr on the Jimmy Butler impact: "We have the movement and the flow of Steph. But we've also become a great iso team. We've never been an iso team. There's great advantage to that — to be able to get to the line, generate offense without having to set a million screens." pic.twitter.com/U77Tu24Hg0
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) April 16, 2025
Butler went 12-of-20 from the floor, including 2-of-4 from deep, and 12-of-18 from the free-throw line. He also finished with seven rebounds, six assists, and three steals. Curry connected on 9-of-22 attempts, including 6-of-13 from deep, and a perfect 13-of-13 from the charity stripe. He also added eight rebounds, four assists, and one steal.
Jimmy Butler reveals what it will take for Warriors to beat Rockets
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While looking ahead to a first-round series against the Rockets, Warriors forward Jimmy Butler pointed out a key statistical category. Butler says limiting turnovers is critical for the Warriors.
Still, Butler believes the Warriors will succeed against one of the NBA’s top-ranked defenses, per The Athletic’s Anthony Slater.
“Turnovers,” Butler said. “We turned the ball over a lot. Can’t win whenever they get so many more possessions than we do. If we take care of the ball, we’ll be in a good spot. I think if we worry about us, we’ll be just fine.”
In a 106-96 loss on April 6, the Rockets coerced the Warriors into committing 20 turnovers. They also held Butler to 13 points on 4-of-7 shooting, and Curry to three points on 1-of-10 attempts. It was a defensive masterclass by the Rockets, who will have their hands full with the Warriors, but have proven their defense can hold Butler and Curry in check.