Stephen Curry-less Warriors past Bucks as Butler takes over
Jimmy Butler (#10) gestures toward Stephen Curry (30) after hitting a 3-point basket and drawing the foul in the second half as the Golden State Warriors played the Milwaukee Bucks at Chase Center in San Francisco, on Tuesday, March 18, 2025. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/S.F. Chronicle
2025.03.18 – Jimmy Butler had 24 points, eight rebounds, 10 assists and 11 free throws in 37 minutes as the Golden State Warriors, playing without Stephen Curry, past the Milwaukee Bucks 104-93 on Tuesday night at Chase Center.
Curry, who recently became the first player in NBA history to make 4,000 3-pointers, was given the night off for a mental and emotional break by Warriors coach Steve Kerr.
So long as the Warriors win, Butler is content with his role.
Attacker. Screener. Facilitator. Free-throw shooter. On-ball defender. Off-ball defender. Closer. Whatever.
“I’m glad that we won. That’s all I really care about,” Butler affirmed again Tuesday night. “As long as it all leads to a W, I’m good with whatever role I get to play.”
With Curry sidelined Tuesday, resting after playing 22 straight games, Butler powered the Warriors to a victory, including the full fourth quarter as he managed key possessions with precision and poise.
Golden State squandered a 17-point lead with 10 third-quarter turnovers and trailed by six with 13:04 to play. Butler drove a 21-6 run with three free throws, a 3-point play, a driving jumper and a baseline driving dish to Quinten Post for a 3 pointer. (Post has 53 triples in his first 31 games, the most in franchise history for that span to open a career).
Brandin Podziemski (lower back strain) ended a five-game absence with 17 points, seven rebounds and four 3-pointers — including a right-wing try with 2:19 to play. Buddy Hield scored 15 points for the Warriors, who got 14 points and four triples from Post.
2025.03.18 – Bucks vs. Warriors (NBA Video highlights)
JImmy Butler (10) drives to the basket against Gary Trent Jr. (5) in the first half as the Golden State Warriors played the Milwaukee Bucks at Chase Center in San Francisco, on Tuesday, March 18, 2025. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/S.F. Chronicle
2025.03.18 – Bucks vs. Warriors (NBA Video highlights)
2025.03.18 – Bucks vs. Warriors (NBA Video highlights)
Draymond Green (10 rebounds, two steals, four blocks) spearheaded a cohesive defense that held Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo to 5-for-16 shooting. When defended by Green, he was 0-for-7 — informing Milwaukee’s 39.2% shooting.
Bucks guard Damian Lillard shot 6-for-18 and 2-for-9 from deep. Kyle Kuzma made five 3-pointers and scored 22 points to pace the Bucks. Giannis Antetokounmpo added 20 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. Lillard and Brook Lopez each scored 16.
Golden State (40-29) remained sixth in the the Western Conference and will conclude its seven-game homestand Thursday with the Toronto Raptors.
Butler “just knows” when and how to seize control, head coach Kerr said. “He just does whatever is necessary and it’s a good game for us to play without Steph because it sort of forces the rest of the team to play a game without him and to play through Jimmy and see what we’ve got.”
A seamless fit for Golden State with his malleable skill-set as a 6-foot-7 wing, Butler averaged 16.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and 5.9 assists in his first 16 games with Golden State after the Feb. 6 trade from Miami. Included among them: a five-point showing; two six-point outings; an 11-point display.
Victory, victory, victory for the Warriors, who are 15-2 in games he has played for them.
Competing against the Bucks (38-30) without Curry — who cheered from the bench in an olive sweatsuit — required more offensive aggression from Butler. He orchestrated a 58-44 halftime lead with eight points, four rebounds and five assists.
Milwaukee’s spirited third-quarter rally required Butler’s response.
2025.03.18 – Bucks vs. Warriors (NBC Sports Post Game)
Draymond Green (#23) left, defends against Giannis Antetokounmpo (#34) right, in the second half as the Golden State Warriors played the Milwaukee Bucks at Chase Center in San Francisco, on Tuesday, March 18, 2025. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/S.F. Chronicle
2025.03.18 – Bucks vs. Warriors (NBC Sports Post Game)
2025.03.18 – Bucks vs. Warriors (NBC Sports Post Game)
But first, while facing a 76-70 deficit, Hield made a triple and Jonathan Kuminga made two free throws for the Warriors. In the closing seconds of the third quarter, Butler drew a 3-point shooting foul. In the opening minute of the fourth quarter, he pump-faked Kevin Porter Jr. into a shooting foul and made a 23-foot jumper through him.
On his back, Butler pointed in celebration as Chase Center rumbled with passion and pride.
“It’s why he is who he is,” Green said, speaking about Butler’s aggression. “He commands so much attention. For us, that’s great because he’s allowing everybody else to get in their spots where they’re comfortable and either get layups or open jump shots. So, when he’s being that aggressive, which obviously we needed him to be that aggressive tonight, it’s one of the toughest match-ups in the NBA. We’ve seen that for years on end now.”
When Butler wasn’t scoring — and he followed with two mid-range jumpers — he was putting his teammates in position to produce. He drew two defenders on baseline drive and bounced the basketball to Post for a 3. Butler collapsed the paint, first opening Gary Payton II for a 3-pointer and then for a dump-off.
2025.03.18 – Bucks vs. Warriors (NBC Sports Post Game)
Quinten Post (#21) and Draymond Green (#23) left, defends against Giannis Antetokounmpo (#34) right, in the second half as the Golden State Warriors played the Milwaukee Bucks at Chase Center in San Francisco, on Tuesday, March 18, 2025. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/S.F. Chronicle
2025.03.18 – Bucks vs. Warriors (NBC Sports Post Game)
2025.03.18 – Bucks vs. Warriors (NBC Sports Post Game)
Podziemski’s final 3-point shot was assisted by Butler, who drove and kicked in the closing minutes.
“Such a professional effort from our guys coming off of (Monday) night’s loss to put together a victory against a great team in a game we really needed,” Kerr said. “Jimmy … just took over the game. We ran every play through him down the stretch.”
Wouldn’t have mattered to Butler if they didn’t — so long as the Warriors win.
“Whatever the team asks me for me to do, that’s what I’ve got to do,” he said.
UP NEXT
Bucks: On their way to Los Angeles to play the Lakers on Thursday night..
Warriors: Will conclude their season-high seven-game homestand against the Toronto Raptors on Thursday night. (GSW ROSTER)
Related – See : Warriors rout Kings as Steph Curry makes NBA history
Related – See below: 2022 Warriors NBA Finals Champions
Read more at: Golden State Warriors Media Services / More AP NBA
JEstevez@EMIsportsCentral.com
For more on the Golden State Warriors, see the blog at www.EMIsportsCentral.com
EMI Sports Central – EMI Sports Bay Area: Join the conversation on sports news for SF Bay Area teams: Follow @EMIsports on Twitter, “Like” us on Facebook and sign up for our FREE email newsletters.
2022 Warriors NBA Finals Champions