The Golden State Warriors opened up their season with a 119-109 win against the Los Angeles Lakers. It was a team effort, but Jimmy Butler and Stephen Curry led the way for the team throughout most of the game. One thing that helped them stay afloat was free throws, as Butler went 16-for-16 at the line, while Curry went 8-for-8. There might be extra motivation for Butler to not miss many free throws this season, as he revealed a bet he made with Draymond Green.
“I don't think it's a bad bet. But it's kind of a bad bet,” Butler said via ESPN's Anthony Slater. “I’ve got a bet with Dray that I got to shoot a better (FT) percentage than No. 30 (Steph) on our team.”
Funny enough, it seems like everybody knew about the bet except Curry. When Curry found out about the deal between Butler and Green, he had a savage response when asked if he thinks it's possible Butler could win.
“No chance,” Curry said. “I like a little game within the game, so, game on.”
“This is the first time I’m hearing of it.”
Steph said he didn’t know about the bet and there’s “no chance” Jimmy is winning it 😂 https://t.co/z0jHARV7Vi pic.twitter.com/sj9X0I68zF
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) October 22, 2025
For their careers, Butler is an 84% free-throw shooter, and Curry is 91%. Butler has a long way to go this season if he wants a chance at winning the bet, because it seems like Curry barely misses when he gets to the line.
Jimmy Butler leads the way for Warriors in season opener
Butler proved to be a key piece for the Warriors when he was traded to the team last season, and he continued that narrative in the first game of the season. He got the Warriors in a rhythm to start the game, scoring 12 points in the first nine minutes.
“He was the reason we became a good team last year,” head coach Steve Kerr said. “He provides that stability, that ability to get fouled, go to the line and settle the game down.
“He just controls the game out there for us. We need that. We've always been at our best when we can provide the support for Draymond and Steph's chaos with stability. The chaos is really powerful, but it can get away from us. Jimmy settles us down.”
When the Lakers looked like they were going to make a run, Butler was indeed the stabilizer at times, getting to the line and knocking down his free throws. With a full training camp and starting the season with the Warriors, Butler could have a bigger impact than he did last season.
