Los Angeles–an hour after lifting Warrior for a statement 119-109 road win Above lakers To open his 15th season in the NBA on Tuesday, jimmy butler He revealed a questionable bet he made with a teammate draymond green,
Butler bet Green that he would finish this season with a better free throw percentage Stephen CurryStatistically the greatest free throw shooter in NBA history (91.1%).
“I don’t think it’s a bad bet,” Butler said. “But it’s a bad bet.”
Butler has missed the last three Warriors preseason games due to an ankle sprain suffered during training camp practice. Cleared in the days leading up to the opener, he started his season strongly, scoring 12 points in nine minutes of the first quarter. Seven of those came from the free throw line.
He finished the night with a team-high 31 points and 16 of 16 from the line, the most free throws made without a miss in a game for a Warriors player since Rick Barry in 1975.
“He’s the reason we became a good team last year,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “He provides stability, the ability to draw fouls, get to the line and settle plays.”
Before Butler arrived in February, the Warriors had shot the fewest free throws in the NBA. After the trade, his free throw rate was the highest ever. This was a key part of the immediate turnaround that catapulted the Warriors from the lottery to the second round of the playoffs, giving them strong internal confidence in their ability to compete this season.
“He controls the game for us,” Kerr said of Butler. “We need that. We always perform at our best when we can provide support for the chaos of Draymond and Steph with stability. Chaos is really powerful, but it can get away from us. Jimmy organizes us.”
In Butler’s 35 minutes, the Warriors outscored the Lakers by 20 points. They trailed by 10 points in their 13 minutes of rest.
“The game is easy,” Butler said. “Everyone pays attention to Steph. It’s an easy job for me.”
Curry didn’t have a spectacular stat line in the opener — 23 points, three 3s, four assists — but he hit a moonball dagger from 35 feet away with 51 seconds remaining, had a key layup late in the second quarter and made all eight of his free throws, matching Butler’s 100% accuracy rate through a game.
Butler is a career 84.3% free throw shooter. He hit 87% during his 30 Warriors games last season. That’s typical, but still nowhere near Curry, who learned about Butler’s free throw stunt during his postgame interview.
“Not a chance,” Curry said of Butler’s odds. “But I like a little game within the game. So keep playing.”
The subplot of this night for the Warriors came down to the starting power forward position. After the summer’s contract drama, Jonathan Kuminga After a strong training camp and preseason he received the starting opportunity to open his fifth season.
Kuminga’s first half included some rushed midrange shots and in-traffic turnovers that often frustrated Kerr and forced him to the bench. But Kerr said he appreciated the way Kuminga acknowledged the poor play by waving to the bench and adjusted his approach in the second half.
“I think he’s really very mature,” Kerr said. “I think he has a better understanding of what’s needed now than in years past. Jimmy has also really helped him. Jimmy has talked to him a lot during camp, taken him aside during practice. Remember, Jonathan just turned 23.”
Kuminga had 13 points in the third quarter, including three 3s and a backdoor cut using Curry’s gravity on a slip screen. Kuminga’s four 3s hit a career high. His six assists were a career high. His nine rebounds included an offensive rebound in the final sequence, which caused a stir in the locker room after the game.
“That rebound is what everyone in the world has been waiting to see,” Green said. “You have that athleticism, you make big plays. You have superstar ability, you make big plays. Those are game-winning plays. When you ask for an opportunity, you have to deliver. He’s been very vocal about his opportunity, and he delivered.”
