Appearing on FS1’s “Speak,” the Hall of Famer explained why the combination of Jimmy Butler and Stephen Curry makes the Warriors “dangerous” for the remainder of the 2025 NBA Playoffs. Pierce pointed out that the Warriors won despite Curry scoring only 17 points in the first-round Game 4 win against the Rockets.
“When Batman [Curry] isn’t delivering, Robin [Butler] has his back,” Pierce said. “This is why I believe the Golden State Warriors are a threat. I don’t think they have a lot of room for improvement, but if they stay healthy, they can cause problems in the Western Conference and possibly even get to the NBA Finals.”
Pierce said he expects the Warriors, who are up 3-1 against the Rockets, to advance to the semifinals and beat either the Timberwolves or the Lakers.
“The path is there for the Warriors. It’s a clear path,” Pierce added.
Warriors Still Viewed as Underdogs
Though Pierce and several NBA analysts are high on the Warriors, oddsmakers still have Steve Kerr’s men as +1800 underdogs to win the championship, behind the Thunder (+150), Celtics (+180) and Cavaliers (+500).
If the Warriors were to meet the top-seeded Thunder in the Western Conference Finals, they would be heavy underdogs as well. Yet, some believe the Warriors are peaking at the right time and can replicate their feat from 2022, when, as underdogs, they captured the championship with a 4-2 win over the Celtics in the NBA Finals.
Draymond Green, much like Pierce, believes Butler has instilled a sense of belief in his team.
“Yeah, he’s different,” Green said about the “Playoff Jimmy” nickname, via ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk. “You can just see a whole intensity level and focus. I’ve watched it on TV for years. To see it up close and personal? Like it’s a real thing. Sometimes, you get in the NBA, and these guys get these nicknames. And you’re like, ‘Man, stop it, they’re not real.’
Butler, The Game Changer
“That one is real. And I’m happy he’s on our side,” Green said of Butler.
Butler showed true tenacity by braving a hip injury in the Warriors’ crucial Game 5 victory, which allowed the team to take a commanding 3-1 lead. The veteran wing made 23 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter to lift the Warriors to a 109-106 win.
After the game, Kerr explained why the Warriors needed Butler to prevail.
“We had to have him,” he told reporters. “I mean, if this were the regular season, he’d probably miss another week or two, but it’s the playoffs and he’s Jimmy Butler. This is what he does. The rebound at the end was just incredible, the elevation, the force. Then, of course, knocking down the free throws to clinch it. Jimmy was just amazing.”
The Warriors are 12-1 in the Kerr Era when they own a 3-1 lead in a best-of-seven playoff series. They can close out Houston in Game 5 on April 30. If they fail in the mission, they will have two more opportunities to advance to the semifinals.
