Warriors' Jimmy Butler must embrace Batman role with Stephen Curry out

Luckily for the Warriors, they still sit at an even 1-1 split in their Western Conference semifinals matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves. But with Curry not expected back for at least another week, things could get out of hand quickly for the Warriors. If their most recent 117-93 loss to the Timberwolves is any sort of indicator of what is to come going forward without Curry, this series could be over before Curry even gets a chance to return. 

The only real sliver of hope the Warriors have of surviving Curry’s absence is a heroic string of games put together by Butler. 

While Butler has fit in seamlessly with the Warriors, he's fit in snugly as a complement to Curry, not necessarily a replacement. Since Butler has arrived in Golden State, his playmaking tendencies have been more on display than his scoring capabilities. Warriors’ head coach Steve Kerr even compared Butler's malleability and basketball IQ to former Warriors Finals’ MVP Andre Iguodala. 

If the Warriors are going to stay afloat in the coming days, however, Butler’s scoring exploits are going to have to start taking a front seat.

Butler is one of a select few players around the league who’ve routinely shown an ability to rise to the occasion and put their team on their back. The nickname “Playoff Jimmy” wasn’t just handed to him; it's a reputation he’s earned from big-time playoff performances throughout the years. Just think back to performances like Round 1 of the Eastern Conference playoffs in 2022-2023, where Butler demolished the Bucks to the tune of 37.6 points per game, or the year before that, when he carved up the Atlanta Hawks in round 1, where he dropped in 30.5 points per game. 

History would suggest that Butler is more than up for the task; he just needs to revert to his old habits. Butler was perfectly right in his thinking to defer to Curry when sharing the court together, but with Curry sidelined indefinitely, Butler needs to reclaim his place as an all-caps alpha. Butler understands his place in the hierarchy of Golden State and understands who Batman is and who Robin is when the team is at full health. As things currently stand, however, the Warriors need Butler, now more than ever, to be their caped crusader.