It was a tough night for the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday, as their 2024–25 season came to an end. After taking Game 1 of the best-of-seven series against Minnesota, they dropped four straight and were eliminated.
With Steph Curry going down in the middle of Game 1, there was plenty of talk about who needed to step up. One of the players expected to carry the load was Jimmy Butler.
Former NBA star and Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade was one of many voices calling out Butler during the game. On a livestream while watching, Wade didn’t hold back:
"Hey no. 10 (Jimmy). Hey no. 10 on Golden State, if you can hear me, DO SOMETHING!”
One of the most surprising stats in the Warriors’ 121-110 loss was Butler’s shot count. Despite leading the team with about 42 minutes, he took only 11 shots, a stunning number given the stakes.
That followed his nine-shot performance in Game 4. Butler is taking a fair share of the blame from fans and analysts Thursday morning. For context, he attempted 20 shots in Game 1 and 26 in Game 3.
Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler.
Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler.
© David Gonzales
Butler joined the Warriors midseason after drama with the Miami Heat that began in November. He made his Warriors debut on Feb. 8. Butler was brought over to be a big playoff hero alongside Curry.
He looked strong early on, scoring 38 points in the play-in game against Memphis. In Game 1 of the first-round series against Houston, he posted 25 points and grabbed seven rebounds.
Butler, who will be 36 when the next season begins, signed a two-year, $110 million extension with Golden State. He’s set to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2026–27 season.