As star Jimmy Butler and the Golden State Warriors will play the Miami Heat on Tuesday night, the team looks to continue their exceptional play since the trade for the forward. One of the many reasons the new tenure has been working is because of the Warriors' relationship between Butler and Draymond Green which garnered a bold comparison from head coach Steve Kerr.
When Kerr was speaking about the comparisons that Butler and Green share, he would harken back to his playing days with the Chicago Bulls and mention Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen according to ESPN.
“Pippen and Jordan,” Kerr said. “Just incredible intelligence and athleticism combined with versatility. There's definitely some of that.”
Butler and Green do share multiple qualities being their intense nature on the court that leads to physical play and a mental aspect about doing “anything to win” as the former Heat star said.
“Two winners that would do anything to win,” Butler said to ESPN. “He could care less about personal success. He's just trying to win a championship.
“I just want to win. I don't give a f— about nothing else. We ain't going to never butt no motherf—ing heads. … That's what people keep overlooking. They think like we going to get in fist fights. No we not. Because all we want to do is win.”
Warriors' Draymond Green on Jimmy Butler bringing “reinforcement”
Related Golden State Warriors NewsArticle continues below
Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III (10) celebrates with forward Draymond Green (23) in the second quarter at Chase Center.
David Gonzales-Imagn Images
While the Warriors hope to have Stephen Curry back for the game against the Heat, the team will still have Butler and Green to lead the team. Green would also speak on the relationship between the two that has been forming since the blockbuster trade before the deadline and spoke about how the newcomer acts as much-needed “reinforcement.”
“For a team that's beaten up on everyone for so many years, everybody wants to crush you,” Green said. “And sometimes you just need reinforcement. You need backup that's not falling in line. You need backup that come with their own s—, backup that come with their own fear implemented around the landscape. We needed it.”
“We're both smart,” Green continued. “And we're both heartless … heartless when it comes to the opposition. He rewrites the book, which also rewrites the possibilities of things that can be done here.”
So far with Butler, Golden State is 16-4 binging their record to 41-30 which puts them sixth in the Western Conference which was a far cry to how the team was before when they were just scratching the surface of being out of the play-in tournament. With the team in 19 games, Butler is averaging 17.6 points, 6.5 assists, and 6.1 rebounds per game while shooting 43.8 percent from the field.