Stephen Curry had the perfect response to Jimmy Butler‘s Instagram post celebrating the Golden State Warriors‘ pivotal 104-93 Game 3 win over the No. 2 seed Houston Rockets on Saturday.
“Elite,” Curry told reporters when asked for comment.
Playing true to his new “Robin” character to Curry’s “Batman,” Butler made a comic book celebratory post on Instagram.
“Thanks Batman and team. Excluding Buddy Hield,” Butler wrote.
Curry later commented on Butler’s Instagram post, joining his co-star in roasting Hield, “Buddy did the cold tub post game. You should be proud of him!”
Buddy Hield Goes ‘Alfred’ Without Batman’s ‘Robin’
Jokes aside, Hield played a key role in the Warriors come-from-behind 104-93 win in Game 3 without Butler, who sat out with a deep glute muscle contusion he sustained in Game 2.
Hield had eight of his 17 points in the second quarter where the Warriors cut the Rockets’ 13-point lead to 49-46 at halftime.
“I knew Robin was out, so I had to step up,” Hield said after the win. “I had to be Alfred.”
“They are going to send a trap or double-team or blitz a pick-and-roll,” Curry said. “If I get off it, if we are spaced properly, Buddy is a guy that demands attention. You can’t leave him open, and if he has a little bit of daylight, he’s got to be able to take those and knock them down.”
Hield knocked down 5-of-11 3-pointers. More importantly, he was plus-14 in 29 minutes.
“He literally is one of the best 3-point shooters in the history of the league,” Golden State coach Steve Kerr said of Hield. “He was hugely important for us this year, 82 games. He’s there for us every night. Shots don’t always go in, but he’s never shy, and defenses respect him.”
Steve Kerr on Steph Curry’s Game 3 Performance: ‘Just Copy and Paste’
The Warriors big win had immaculate vibes as epic responses from key characters overflowed.
Kerr also made one when asked to comment on Curry’s near triple-double to carry them in the Game 3 win.
“Whatever I’ve said the last 11 years after every one of these games, just copy and paste,” Kerr told reporters.
Bruised and battered by the Rockets’ brutal, physical defense, Curry fought back with 36 points, nine assists and seven rebounds.
“To play 41 minutes against that kind of defense, to have a slow start and then find his rhythm, which we have seen him do countless times over the years, to hit big shots, to only turn it over twice against that kind of pressure, he was brilliant,” Kerr said.
His 3-pointer with three minutes left in the fourth quarter served as the knockout blow to the Rockets.
Curry unloaded 21 of his points in the second half as he and the Warriors found little opening for him from the Rockets’ brutal defense.
“You’ve got one task,” Curry said of the Warriors finding a way to win without Butler. “Hopefully he’s back next game, or if he’s not we can still play at a high level, we can win a tough, physical playoff game. I think we all know, we’re trying to win 14 more of these. We need Jimmy to do that.”
Batman and Alfred did their parts. It’s Robin’s turn to show up to finish off the Rockets.
