The Golden State Warriors have lost only three games since adding Jimmy Butler at the trade deadline, and the biggest question, how he would fit with Jonathan Kuminga, appears to have been answered.
The Warriors are 4-2 with both forwards in the lineup. Kuminga is yet to start, but he is averaging 13.8 points per game after missing two months with an ankle injury, and he is playing to his strengths.
NBA fans might assume that the Warriors are finding their success via Stephen Curry's inhuman ability to hit shots from deep, but the reality is the Warriors are simply taking advantage of the rules.
"A team that relied on Curry and his jumper for the first few months of the schedule now has more physical ways to score - because few squads are getting to the free-throw line like Golden State is today," revealed *The Athletic's*Fred Katz.
"The return of Kuminga, who missed two months with an ankle injury, will only strengthen a once-again high-powered offense. Butler doesn't just give the Warriors an extra primary facilitator, someone who allows Curry to scamper around more off-ball screens than he could in the early part of the season when he had to create more with the basketball. He also provides a necessary downhill threat. Prior to the Butler trade, the Warriors were 27th in fouls drawn per possession."
They now rank fourth in that category, and with Kuminga back in the lineup and Draymond Green back to playing impassioned, aggressive basketball, the Warriors are expected to make a living at the free-throw line.
Related: Jimmy Butler's Message Before Warriors Take on Heat
The Warriors, effectively, are finding free points. Green, Looney, Butler, and even Kevon Looney are excellent at drawing and finishing through contact, and the Warriors don't mind winning games at the charity stripe.
Check out the Inside the Warriors homepage for more news, analysis, and must-read articles.
Related: Warriors Aim to Complete Young Backcourt in NBA Mock Draft
Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
This story was originally published March 23, 2025 at 11:34 AM.