Former Bulls No 2. pick one-ups Jimmy Buttler's 'star' status, hails him as 'best technician teammate' in NBA
The Golden State Warriors are one win away from the second round of the playoffs. They took down the Houston Rockets in a hard-fought Game 4 on Monday with Jimmy Butler back in the lineup to secure a 109-106 win.
Butler played just seven minutes in Game 2 (Wednesday) before sustaining a pelvic injury that forced him to miss Game 3 (Saturday). While the Warriors were able to split those two games, his impact on both ends of the floor is more than evident.
Former Chicago Bulls No. 2 pick Jay Williams claimed that he's not just a superstar or a scorer, but someone who impacts all aspects of the game.
"He isn't just a star. He's the best technician teammate in the NBA," Williams said on Tuesday, via ESPN's 'Get Up.' "When you think about him, it's not just about scoring; he orchestrates winning, and he impacts the game."
Butler recorded 27 points, including 14 in the fourth quarter, with five rebounds, six assists, one block and one 3-pointer.
Jimmy Butler will continue to play through the pain
Jimmy Butler's status for Game 4 was up in the air. He was ultimately cleared to play, but it came down to pain tolerance.
Following the win, the former Miami Heat standout admitted that he felt barely good enough to play, but didn't hesitate to suit up and play through the discomfort.
"I woke up and I was good enough, so I was able to go out there and compete," Butler said on Monday, via NBA.com. "I'm not going to say I'm not hurting, but it's a good pain whenever it is all toward winning."
Warriors coach Steve Kerr tipped his hat to the perennial All-Star. He said that Butler's competitive nature didn't allow him to sit out for much longer, but it's an injury that would normally require extensive rest.
“If it were the regular season, he’d probably miss another week or two," Kerr said. "But it’s the playoffs, and he’s Jimmy Butler. This is what he does.”
The series will head back to Houston for Game 5, with Ime Udoka's team aiming to stave off elimination with its physical and pesky style of play.
Should Golden State advance, it will face the winner between the LA Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves, a series which could also end early as the Timberwolves are up 3-1.
