The Golden State Warriors Desperately Need Playoff Jimmy

Even more damning is this transition sequence where Butler receives a hit-ahead pass with a chance at the rim against the much smaller Donte DiVincenzo. But what should have been two easy points turns into an awkward, mid-air improvisation and, eventually, a Draymond Green missed three.

Some of Butler’s reluctance to shoot can surely be attributed to the lingering effects of the deep glute muscle contusion he suffered in the first round against the Houston Rockets (Rudy Gobert’s invaluable presence in the paint also deserves some love). But this is also kind of how Butler has always played, at least in the regular season.

Of the 51 players to play at least 30 games and average at least 10 drives per game, Butler was second in percentage of drives ending with a pass at 54.6 percent (per NBA.com).

Butler is a very patient player. He does a great job reading defenses and understanding what they are trying to take away and what they are willing to concede. That is why he passes so frequently. He is always trying to make the right play.

Too often this postseason, though, Butler has failed to pressure the defense, lets the shot clock dwindle and throws a grenade to a teammate. This play from Game 7 against the Rockets stands out to me:

Regardless of who takes the shot, the Warriors are in a bad spot on that possession. But Butler has a much better chance of sinking a contested jumper than Green. So, he has to be the one taking that look. The way he’s been curating his shot diet to only include attempts he feels comfy with kind of reminds me of Adrian Dantley, a hyper-efficient scorer who never quarterbacked elite offenses because of this very phenomenon.

Jimmy Butler Has Another Gear

While he has moments where he bears resemblance to him, Butler isn’t Dantley. He’s led teams to crucial playoff victories and his former teams don’t get better once he leaves. In fact, they usually get far worse.

You don’t get the nickname “Playoff Jimmy” for nothing. Butler has another gear he can turn on in the postseason. For example, he’s been timid when it comes to going at Gobert, but we know he has the craft and footwork to finish over big men inside. Here’s this gem from his 56-point outing against the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 4 of the 2023 first round.

In all fairness to Butler, that clip was drawn from an early round series when he was completely healthy. There’s a chance Butler isn’t physically capable of reaching those mighty heights at this point in time. But even 80 percent of Butler is the Warriors’ best chance on offense right now.

So even if he can’t fully channel the Playoff Jimmy we’ve become familiar with, he’s at least got to try.