With Stephen Curry sidelined, the onus was on Jimmy Butler III to lead Golden State’s offense against the Bucks on Tuesday.
The veteran forward came through with flying colors, producing a game-high 24 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds in the Warriors’ 104-93 win. It was the latest instance of Butler contributing in a multitude of ways not just to victories but to raise the morale of the locker room.
The Warriors were a 1.5-point underdog entering the game, and nobody would have blamed them for losing on the second night of a back-to-back with Curry on the bench. Instead, they improved their chances of staving off the Timberwolves for the sixth seed and final guaranteed playoff berth, thanks mainly to Butler’s stellar outing.