What a difference Jimmy Butler can make for the Golden State Warriors and in Game 5, the veteran All-Star proved that he’s certainly an asset for his team’s bid for a deep playoff run.
Butler scored 23 of his 27 points in the second half and reenergized the Warriors, who now moved closer to advancing to the next round following a tense 109-106 win over the Houston Rockets in their NBA best-of-seven playoff series.
A pelvic injury that forced him to miss Game 3 left a big question on how healthy Butler will be come Game 4.
He let his game do the talking in Game 4 as he played 40 minutes and even had that boundless of energy reserved when he went sky high to get that rebound in the final stretch that preserved the victory for the Warriors.
But Butler was just a piece of the puzzle and the Warriors knew they’re going to need help from everyone — from team defense to players stepping up big.
Draymond Green brough the playoff colors that made the Warriors the once feared team in the West as he was sensational in making stops.
So impressive was Green that he was able to shade the other Green — Jalen — who was only held down to eight points and took less shots than expected.
Then, there’s Brandin Podziemski, who erupted for 26 points on a sizzling 6-of-11 shooting from beyond the arc, making him a perfect complement for the Warriors’ top gun, Stephen Curry.
Curry wasn’t explosive, contributing 17 markers, but kept a hold of his team and allowed them to contribute more efficiently.
Buddy Hield added 15 while Quintin Post came off the bench and chipped in 13.
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