HOUSTON — In fairness to Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob this was the farthest thing from a victory lap playing the role of head cheerleader in the corner of the Toyota Center court where the players whose massive paychecks he covers were practically skipping back to the visitors’ locker room to celebrate their Game 7 finish over the Houston Rockets he was asked to reflect on this latest moment of “meaningful basketball,” as Steph Curry likes to call it But just as Lacob began to discuss the player whose arrival in February made this all possible and whose very presence in its midst says so much about why this organization has been elite for so long now the man himself ran right by without saying so much as a hello as the Warriors small forward stopped and turned around It had been nearly three months since Butler came to town — with Lacob wisely deciding to listen to his general manager when he insisted this deal was worth the risk — and the time had finally come to say the obvious part out loud “Sometimes you get them right,” he told The Athletic with a laugh If the Warriors hadn’t found a way to get out of the first round, then the entire conversation surrounding Butler and his Warriors’ existence would have been different heading into the summer. Sure, it was nice that he helped them avoid missing the playoffs altogether by dominating their Play-In win over Memphis. But the entire premise of this partnership has been about this version of Golden State convincing the masses that it was a legitimate title contender And regardless of what happens next against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round it’s indisputable that these Warriors were truly in the championship mix in Year 1 of the Butler experiment This is why Lacob agreed to give Butler a two-year $121 million extension that runs through the 2026-27 season turning a blind eye to all the messiness that took place with him in Miami (and Minnesota before that) while counting on the Warriors’ culture to help the 35-year-old get back on track with the Warriors becoming just the seventh No the sight of Butler and Lacob reveling in a series win together for the first time was so important when it comes to their overall plan All of the Warriors’ stakeholders need to truly believe in the collective ceiling of this group to avoid the sense that it might have been a mistake as the advanced ages of all their most important players mean there’s no time like the present Those “We’ll get ’em next year” speeches just don’t land the same when your stars are all on the back end of their fourth decade And while the Warriors’ regular-season showing with Butler was nothing short of elite — a 23-8 record 1 defense and the eighth-best offense — surviving this Rockets team that looked so capable of sending them home served as a confirmation that adding Butler was This Game 7 finish was yet another new achievement in an absurdly long list of them, a 103-89 win that was the NBA equivalent of a father winning the game of pick-up against his teenage son when everyone in the family thought those days had long since passed figured out the Rockets’ zone defense and somehow survived the tenacity athleticism and length of young Amen Thompson (he finished with 22 points His longtime Warriors partner, 35-year-old Draymond Green, picked the perfect time to showcase his generational defensive skills while also providing vital offense early on (eight of his 16 points were in the first quarter) the 32-year-old who was signed to a two-year deal last summer to fill the shooting duties of the departed Klay Thompson practically earned all of the $21 million deal he was given in one evening’s work (33 points; 9-of-11 on 3s) It didn’t even matter to Lacob that Butler wasn’t the star this time around and what Lacob acknowledged in our chat afterward was that the Warriors’ choice to strike that balance between desperation and calculation that led to adding him had clearly paid off there were (concerns about Butler),” Lacob said we take a look at the last decade of the Golden State-Houston rivalry and how Steph Curry manages to keep coming out on top had every reason to wonder if that would be the last meaningful game he might play in his career “So you can tell there’s such a care factor for every guy on this team that starts with me and now obviously (with) Jimmy and his playoff experience So I had to rely on that as long as this ride continues “You know you’re figuring out the chessboard in between the series and not letting go of the rope (while) being able to turn the page from one game to the next and meet the moment I think that’s what we talked about with our guys the most There’s no more fun that you can experience in basketball than a playoff series “The way that everybody locked in (when he arrived) So that’s what I’m gonna take into this next round and on any given night we can beat anyone.” As Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said recently Butler would likely have been in the MVP race if he had started the season with the Warriors and played as well as he had since arriving is whether they can keep it going against a younger Timberwolves team that is even deeper and more experienced than the up-and-coming Rockets “It’s nice,” Lacob said of beating the Rockets Sam Amick is a senior NBA writer for The Athletic. He has covered the Association for the better part of two decades while at USA Today, Sports Illustrated, AOL FanHouse and the Sacramento Bee. Follow Sam on Twitter @sam_amick less than 48 hours after the Golden State Warriors advanced with a Game 7 win over the Houston Rockets How is Butler feeling about returning to Minnesota I got until like midnight to enjoy this win so that's what I'm going to do," Butler said Sunday night "Then I'll focus on Minnesota after midnight I'm wondering about how I'm going to get my coffee machine to Minnesota and how I'm going to get my kids there." Butler spent the 2017-18 season and the beginning of 2018-19 before he essentially forced his way out of Minnesota in a trade that sent him to the Philadelphia 76ers After one season in Philly and five-plus seasons with the Miami Heat Butler has spent the past few months with the Warriors — and the showdown against the Timberwolves will be filled with vitriolic storylines Butler hasn't played a game at Target Center in more than 1,250 days lasting having suited up for the Heat in a game in Minnesota on Nov Butler was dressed in street clothes watching the Heat get smoked by the Timberwolves when the fans inside Target Center began a "Where's Jimmy?" chant Butler responded by blowing a kiss to the crowd While the Wolves are favored to win the series the Warriors are 28-9 with Butler in the lineup That winning rate pro-rated to an 82-game season would produce a 62-win campaign They're scary-good because of how they play defense and shoot the ball but the Timberwolves are deeper and will have a significant size advantage The good news is that Minnesota basketball fans won't need as much coffee as they did for the series against the Lakers Though the start times for Games 5 and 6 haven't been announced the latest known tip time for Wolves-Warriors is 9 p.m CT on Tuesday — and Jimmy Butler will be there The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER Jimmy Butler helped the Warriors clinch a Game 7 victory and a second-round date with the Timberwolves scoring 20 points on 7-of-13 shooting while also contributing eight rebounds and seven assists in Sunday’s 103-89 series-clinching victory over Houston “Sometimes you get them right,” Lacob told Amick with a laugh Given the ugly way that Butler’s time in Miami ended there were questions about whether it would make sense to give up multiple assets to acquire him and sacrifice major cap flexibility to sign him to a maximum-salary extension insisted Butler was worth that risk and Lacob is happy he trusted his GM there were (concerns about Butler),” Lacob said one of eight NBA teams still in the hunt for a title: What stands out the most in game 7 Green just played great defense and didn’t let his emotions set back the team He stood up for his idiot actions in previous games and just played ball Hope he plays rest of the playoffs focused on playing the game and nothing more Segun is going to get you 20 points with his offensive skill level His passing for a big man is almost as good as Jokic The series was never about the best scorers on each team but who else will step up but Draymond had him in check most of the time Bro averaged 21 points on 19 shots 45%fg for a center Dray owned Sengun the latter part of the series Got so in his head by game 7 Sengun wilted Haha the link you said he averaged that in his “only playoff game” Can’t even cite the correct thing and saying that’s the truth He got some numbers but he wasn’t as efficient or dominant as he was during the regular season but I am still disappointed that the Warriors and Greymond closed out that perfect first half with a poor emotional reaction Everything was going so well and you thought Green could be a normal dude out there who plays hard But once again he proved that’s not possible by karate chopping Fred after the reach in foul on the arm can we have a hard-working dude who gets the most out of his body that he possibly can with hustle and grit.. I can’t wait to see what happens against the Wolves… should be entertaining Green needs to play smart and when he does the warriorsare tough to beat but his outburst hurt the warriors not help them He better keep his head in the game next series because the wolves have some enforcers and smack talkers on their team too I wish the opposite of that because WE JUST WON BECAUSE OF IT!! Play it real time and you will see its obviously accidental Its amazing how you can imply intent at x20 slo mo In no other situation does the fouled player get held responsible for where the arm thats fouled flails after the other player hits it How is he responsible for where his arm goes AFTER the contact I dont even know if they were calling it a tech for the flail where he didnt seem to be doing anything wrong Like 2 of his techs and one flagrant were utterly insane calls that never happen with any other player Like was there a flagrant when Embiid stepped on G Wills face 2 years ago It was way worse than Greens feet bumping Tari after they fell together Eason then tries to start something with Green and he gets held responsible but he deserved maybe 2 techs through the series and nothing else People also dont seem to understand a core of what happens with Green Everyone sees him screaming all animated at refs but fail to understand that he isnt insulting them while doing it give us the same whistle”,or “He hit me on the arm” over and over To be fair in the replays he is often right about the supposed fouls He screams about the technicalities of the calls which is why they let him Its also extremely loud in the arenas so you do have to yell if the person is 20 feet away The one place they let him get away with stuff is screaming and1 right at them all the time but its almost his thing where he does it nearly every time he shoots in traffic but he is the best defender of the last 30 years at least and the most talented defender in NBA history where anyone else who is close to him has at least 6 inches on him too I mean he is 36 and just played small ball C vs Sengun/Adams lineups all series its insane Its like when he chokes Gobert and earns it or loses his mind like he did to get that tech in like game 3 blame him But techs for breaking up Steph and Brooks or for finger to face contact after he is fouled is ridicules but he also is right about the league targeting him and holding him to a double standard on flagrants especially The NBA definitely got way softer and quicker on techs and flagrants but that first paragraph about Draymond being the best defender of the last 30 years is WILD He’s up there and close MN Eric…I would say “most” versatile for him (can guard up/down left/right and even inside the other teams head sometimes ) One offs are always too close to call but Id take Dennis Rodman over Dray prime v prime probably Hakeem too Current day Id take Wemby and Lu Dort over Dray just bc the perimeter is more important now w Dort and age wise Michael Jordan was 100x worse than anything Draymond has ever done Dray WINS when he plays rough and uses his mental game to destroy them physically Who cares about “playing the game the right way” I hope Draymond continues doing whatever he is doing because we are winning I hope Draymond continues to hack and punch and kick and not get kicked out and we win It was a well orchestrated game 7 by the Warriors Hats off to Buddy Hield for having a legacy game when needed the most Gary and Giants74 and Aristole for Dubs victory Jalen Green is the same exact player he was when he left the G League Ignite team I am not surprised he performed the way he did I am actually surprised people expected differently I’ve seen people talk about he’s made a jump this year and I don’t see it at all His team improved but he’s the same inefficient chucker he’s always been I really think it is the Ignite team screwed up Green and Kuminga The high schools in the area have better facilities There is Special Education school next door It almost seemed like his first 2 seasons were just a total waste since they were playing such bad fundamental basketball under Silas with like Christian Wood and stuff He is like 2 years behind on development at being a slightly better Jordan Poole I got to say the Rockets have alot of talent but needs offense they have so many assets with draft picks and young players their GM could make them a championship team I think Randle is the key to the series for the wolves If he can score 30 a game with his size it will be too much for the warriors to over come Arc I think it will Jaden McDaniels who will be the key If he can knock down that corner 3 at a high clip it’ll be difficult to pack the paint which would let Randle and Edwards attack the rim allowing Gobert to clean up alot of the miss FGA My guess is McDaniels will be guarding Curry a lot being he is a great defender That might tire out his legs for the corner 3s he seems to always hit Warriors are going to need to guard the line because Reid always hits a lot of 3s against the warriors Conley can come up big if he is not being guardedon the 3 point line The Warriors want you to force a bunch of high energy 2s in traffic and then try to keep up on defense Its what they do to Luka just make him work hard for his points You will notice Luka almost always is useless and gassed vs GSW the last 4 years in the 4th Most of the MIN starters you cant do that with but Randle and Gobert can get worked out of effectiveness It was a pretty amazing turn around from where they were before the Butler trade I wondering how far their momentum will carry them They need to mic up both Green and Edwards for the series It would be the funniest thing to hear the 2 biggest trash talkers in the NBA going at it I as well … I wrote them off tbh lol I just hope the Dubs can make a fight of it this series as well Its amazing how many supposedly fit guys go at Steph and walk away huffin and puffin with arms on their heads or bent over gasping for breath… That’s a.thoughtful analysis,as always kudos to you for ALWAYS keeping it classy and showing us the way I appreciate the kind words but I am not showing anyone the way lol I just call it like I see it I’ll give the right team all the credit in the world when they show up and GSW showed up last night It’ll be a tough semifinals but it’ll also be an entertaining must see type semifinals Good luck to both fanbases…meanwhile I can only hope and pray my team doesn’t trade for Kuminga and offer Vu and a random 2028 first round pick Podz and Moody got to experience real game 7 jitters and developing He is lost out there and is truly one dimensional player Kuminga can say bye to the big contract he was wanting unless he has a big series in the next round It would be best he signs a 1 year deal and test FA next year unrestricted agent I do think he has had terrible luck this year where he was rolling right before the injury and has been comepletely out of rhythm since returning with his 3pt never coming back to how he was shooting before getting hurt He is still super young and does enough well already to be a valuable player on most teams I dont know if GSW can find a deal that makes sense I think clearly the most obvious is like Kuminga and a protected pick for Cam Johnson who would give them 3pt shooting Kuminga cant with lower upside I wouldnt be super shocked to see him get like 4/90M from GSW who can try and incorporate him in the pre season with the roster they have and then he is a salary they move at the deadline if it doesnt work Like his fit with Butler could be moot if they use Butler to get a different star this offseason after rehabbing his value Like Jimmy conveniently matches salary perfect for KD/Giannis/LBJ/AD so the roster could have different needs by the start of next season if you get a shooter where Kumingas fit improves I dont know how broken the relationship is but it also seems obvious that he has seriously struggled since his return and has no rhythm at all One expert here sais all the warriors will be is a 1st round pick for him The Nets probably want to rent out their cap space for assets so they would be more into a sign and trade after theyre at the cap I dont see any other team doing what it would take to create the space for an offer sheet and GSW will still make a competitive ish offer in order to keep the asset and salary slot since they need matching for trades and have all the future 1sts pretty much The Nets have the the cap space to sign Kuminga out right And their GM said that they will only sign polished players they aren’t the most active on the markets but when they strike they always seem to get more than anyone thought possible outta limited declining resources *Brk wouldnt trade Cam for and RFA when they can pressure GSW into getting him for free – You are correct Giants 74 I’m interested in who the.”expert” is that says Kuminga will be traded.for only a first round pick Kuminga will be offered an extension by some team they will have to first match that offer and sign him That means some players and contract(s) have to come back in return As far as “50/50” that GSW just releases Kuminga The point is that he’s an asset with value not whether GSW wants to retain him or not Part of Dunleavey’s job is to exchange unwanted assets with value for wanted assets but the last rookie extension eligible player of value that I can recall that was released by their team without being extended was Lonzo Ball by Pelicans The Pelicans had several young players competing for a financially constrained franchise that couldn’t exceed the cap can’t remember who it was but it was on one of the chats here They said the warriors best hope is get a player back and a 1st round pick There was also something about the money coming back would be less than going out He’s still going to get a decent contract but he will not play for the Warriors He’s getting some bad advice from his reps and just play hard and contribute anyway he can While I’m not a fan of the Rockets in general I have to admit they were perfectly equipped to beat the “go small” Warriors when you have a lifetime loser like Dillion Brooks on your team The line to apologize to me when you said I was a stupid homer or “clueless” or “trolling” and “GSW’s window has closed” for calling GSW a top 4 Western Conference team at the start of this season Now the arrogant mofu Davey J wants to be apologies to for being criticized You called Kerr an idiot for playing “Small Ball” the Warriors would have been on vacation two weeks ago And after all the hateful things you said Kerr’s murdered father Guess no Kuminga for Bam proposals in the future by DaveyJ I thought he guaranteed that LeBron would be traded to the Warriors this summer said the Warriors could trade 3 years of Moody’s new contract for 1 year of Sabonis’s contract I’m sure the Kings would jump all over that in a heartbeat I believe dj said “winning is ALL that matters” correct Of course we already knew dj wouldn’t know what “class” or “gentlemen” means if it was right in front of him Funny how dj keeps revealing who he is with many of his statements He’s a disgrace tomany of the other Warrior fans and casts a black eye on us all Butler has already brought enough joy this season and literally assures that Curry will play worthy final yrs in Warriors uniform Anything and everything is possible with those 2 superstars Why wouldn’t there be initial reluctance to Jimmy coming to GS The T-wolves have to improve on how they played against the Warriors during the regular season The lone win was because the Warriors turned the ball over 22 times My hope is the Houston series didn’t cause to much wear and tear Time to use our depth and a longer bench like 10 players Log in Register Register their momentum heading into Game 7 of their first-round matchup against the Houston Rockets as the Rockets have now won two in a row to force a decisive winner-take-all game at the Toyota Center on Sunday Despite Jimmy Butler and Stephen Curry combining for 56 points Golden State couldn't find a way to stop Houston's poised offense and eight assists on 7-of-13 shooting from the field Butler made a claim to the media regarding the Game 6 loss and the potential outcome of Sunday's Game 7 He declared that the Warriors haven't lost their readiness to compete despite having lost two games in a row “We were ready to compete tonight," Butler said We’re going to be ready to compete on Sunday and we’re going to make the game go our way.” Jimmy Butler: “We were ready to compete tonight The last time Golden State blew a 3-1 lead in the playoffs was its infamous NBA Finals loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016 The difference in those matchups is that the Warriors were at home in 2016's Game 7 Houston has all of the momentum going into Sunday This would be a monumental victory not just for the franchise but for a young core that has surpassed expectations all season long that group will have to show its experience in such a high-stakes matchup Steve Kerr Announces Possible Jonathan Kuminga Decision After Warriors-Rockets Alperen Sengun Joins Celtics Legend in NBA History In Warriors-Rockets Draymond Green Makes NBA History in Warriors-Rockets Game 6 JED KATZJed Katz is a student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison majoring in journalism. He also covers the Brooklyn Nets, New York Knicks, and Houston Rockets for On SI, and hosts the Bleav in Bulls podcast, covering the Chicago Bulls. After being down 3-1, the Rockets rallied in Games 5 and 6, winning 115-107 on Friday night behind a 29-point performance from Fred VanVleet The deciding matchup is set for Sunday night in Houston When asked about the Warriors' confidence levels after losing two straight games and failing to close out the series Butler responded that it's "at an all-time high." so it's on us to make sure we get it done." Butler scored 27 points and had nine rebounds in Golden State's losing effort while Stephen Curry led the team with 29 points The former Miami Heat star carries the experience of four Game 7s while Curry and Draymond Green have five each In Butler's first season in the Bay Area after being traded at the deadline by the Heat he helped the Warriors to a seventh-seed finish and a 48-34 record They defeated the Memphis Grizzlies in the Play-In Tournament to secure the first-round matchup against the Rockets "We know how important it is," Butler said of the game we know that we have the opportunity to win the game saying "It's baked into the nature of a Game 7." Getting on this plane to go to Texas and hopefully go to Minnesota right after I know we're all excited about the fact that we have life left even though these last two games haven't gone our way." The winner will face the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference semifinals Butler and the Warriors took down the No. 2 seed Houston Rockets in Game 7 on Sunday winning 103-89 behind a strong defensive effort and well-rounded scoring from the starting five Butler chipped in 20 points, eight rebounds and seven assists as the Warriors advanced to face the Minnesota Timberwolves But when he was asked about his short tenure with the Warriors, Butler may have still had the messy exit from the Miami Heat on his mind Butler's tenure with the Heat came to a difficult end with the team suspending him a series of times including an incident in January where he reportedly walked out of practice "It's always good to be wanted and appreciated for your skill set and your talent," Butler said after the win "Here they welcomed me with open arms and let me be the player that I am and it fit into what they do so incredibly well." The postgame remarks were similar to comments Butler made shortly after being traded hinting that the Heat no longer valued him and that he felt "unwanted" in Miami.  “I saw a group that wanted me to be a part of it,” Butler said “That's all you ever wanted to be is wanted in this life Wanted is like somebody’s choosing to bring you aboard this I think that’s the ultimate sign of respect.” Stephen Curry and Buddy Hield combined to score 55 points, helping the Warriors break away in the fourth quarter. Houston pulled to within seven points as just over eight minutes remained in regulation, but couldn't cut into the deficit any further as Golden State repeatedly kept the Rockets from building momentum. scoring 22 points and pulling down 10 rebounds to go along with seven assists He shot 8-of-16 from the field and 4-of-10 from three-point territory Fans and pundits were amazed by his late surge Jimmy Butler also racked up several clutch buckets to keep the Rockets at bay Hield helped keep the Warriors' offense afloat through the first two quarters He ended the night by putting up a game-high 33 points Houston struggled offensively throughout the contest shooting just 40.5 percent from the field as a team and committing 11 turnovers compared to 14 assists Alperen Şengün finished with 21 points and 14 rebounds but was only able to connect on nine of his 23 field-goal attempts The Rockets are officially eliminated from the playoffs while the Warriors will advance to face the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round In an era of NBA basketball when everyone seems to like each other when the rivalries that helped build the game have gradually disappeared the level of enmity that will hang in the air at Target Center on Tuesday night when the Golden State Warriors open their second-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves will harken back to the days when Kevin McHale was clotheslining Kurt Rambis There is bad blood between Warriors star Jimmy Butler and the entire state of Minnesota, stemming from Butler’s messy exit from the Timberwolves in 2018. Wolves fans took personally the way Butler burned the house down on his way out the door and they have been waiting for four years to have a chance to let Butler know that they haven’t forgiven him The last time Butler was on the court and in uniform at Target Center, he was wearing a Miami Heat uniform, the crowd was taking out all of its frustration on him and Anthony Edwards was dunking Butler’s teammate into oblivion and Butler has not played in Minnesota since The fans have chosen to take those absences as an extension of a cold war “Don’t ask me about Minnesota,” Butler said as he left Houston’s Toyota Center on Sunday night following Golden State’s Game 7 win over the Rockets Being ignored has only turned up the heat for Wolves fans as the playoffs are about to resume Green also served as a guest panelist on TNT’s “Inside the NBA” show during the Wolves’ appearance in the Western Conference finals last year He was so critical of Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns that the Wolves decided to boycott the set after their lone victory in Game 4 of the series against the Dallas Mavericks Minnesotans are notorious for being passive-aggressive; the Scandinavian roots that run through this state infuse its people with a sense of pragmatism and an aversion to confrontation That all gets thrown out the window when they see Butler and Green Target Center was rocking and rolling during the Timberwolves’ first-round dismissal of the Los Angeles Lakers WE LIKE REALLY REALLY READY FOR THIS 🐺 pic.twitter.com/SuqbiJFanR — K👁🌲🐺🌲 (@Kgformvp211) May 5, 2025 Butler figured prominently in the Timberwolves making the playoffs in 2017, ending a miserable 14-year playoff drought for the franchise. He quickly endeared himself to the fans with his toughness, work ethic and fighter’s mentality But that honeymoon barely lasted a full season and the sugar high from that playoff appearance brought with it another crash for a franchise full of them He demanded a trade before his second season in Minnesota even started casting what everyone hoped would be another playoff run into full-blown chaos Almost everyone from that ill-fated and short-lived era of Timberwolves basketball is gone Team president and coach Tom Thibodeau was fired later that season after his handling of the situation and the paltry return the Wolves received General manager Scott Layden was not retained after that season The entire coaching staff and roster have turned over the two young players often associated with Butler’s discontent It was true that Butler had his frustrations with some of the young players on that Wolves team Butler watched as the Wolves extended Wiggins and Towns with max contracts The rules of the collective bargaining agreement at the time prevented the Wolves from offering Butler a full max extension until the summer of 2019 He wanted the Wolves to salary dump some players on their roster to create the cap space to allow them to make him that offer immediately Butler was eventually traded to Philadelphia for a package that included Robert Covington Dario Saric and zero first-round draft picks It was a disaster of a return for a player with so much talent When Butler enjoyed success in Philadelphia and Miami it served in some corners as a repudiation of the Timberwolves Butler led the Heat to two NBA Finals appearances before another toxic divorce led him to Golden State near the trade deadline in February Butler came to a Warriors team that was flailing at 25-26 and was embraced from the moment he joined the team He meshed quickly with Green and Steph Curry 3 net rating (9.2 points per 100 possessions) over those final 31 games “I think this group is capable of exactly what we set out to do which is win a championship,” Green said after beating the Rockets on Sunday night The Wolves went 21-10 in that same span with the No Minnesota has Butler to thank for its current upswing The return on the trade was so bad that it plunged the Wolves into two horrendous seasons They won 19 games the season after he was traded a bottoming out that got them the top pick in the 2020 NBA Draft and brought Edwards to Minnesota The 23-year-old has emerged as one of the brightest stars in the league, someone fully capable of putting a long-struggling franchise on his back and leading it to contention Edwards helped lead the Wolves to their first conference finals berth in 20 years he has helped hold the team together after some early-season struggles to incorporate Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo who came to Minnesota in the trade that sent Towns to New York right before training camp started After a 4-1 victory over the Lakers in the first round giving the Wolves playoff series wins in back-to-back seasons for the first time in franchise history Edwards has the Timberwolves brimming with confidence that they can return to the conference finals Edwards has already beaten Kevin Durant and Devin Booker Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray and LeBron James and Luka Dončić in his young playoff career The Warriors went 3-1 against the Wolves this season and all those games were played before they acquired Butler and started to take off They also took place long before the Wolves started to build the right chemistry with Randle and DiVincenzo that carried them through the first round of the playoffs so there is not much to read into the regular-season matchups One certainty is that there will be no such thing as Minnesota nice when the second round begins Butler and Green are the kind of players who thrive off the hate and there will be plenty of it at Target Center — The Athletic’s Anthony Slater contributed to this report Anthony Edwards not only showed his growth as a player He also demonstrated his maturity as a leader (Photo of Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler: Alex Slitz / Getty Images) Says Joe Lacob.css-3hcdeq{margin:0;font-size:1.2rem;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:Proxima Nova,Proxima Nova Fallback Helvetica,Proxima Nova Fallback Arial;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;letter-spacing:0rem;line-height:1.44rem;color:var(--br--palette-foreground__tertiary-mainChannel);}Joseph ZuckerMay 5 1) 0ms;transition:background-color 150ms cubic-bezier(0.4 1) 0ms;transition:fill 120ms cubic-bezier(0.4 1) 0ms;font-size:inherit;}.css-v4v4rs{-webkit-user-select:none;-moz-user-select:none;-ms-user-select:none;user-select:none;width:1em;height:1em;display:inline-block;fill:currentColor;-webkit-flex-shrink:0;-ms-flex-negative:0;flex-shrink:0;-webkit-transition:fill 120ms cubic-bezier(0.4 1) 0ms;font-size:inherit;}@media (min-width:0px){.css-v4v4rs{display:block;}}@media (min-width:1100px){.css-v4v4rs{display:none;}}.css-mps3fk{-webkit-user-select:none;-moz-user-select:none;-ms-user-select:none;user-select:none;width:1em;height:1em;display:inline-block;fill:currentColor;-webkit-flex-shrink:0;-ms-flex-negative:0;flex-shrink:0;-webkit-transition:fill 120ms cubic-bezier(0.4 But we've got to take risks in this life The Warriors outlasted the Houston Rockets in the first round of the 2025 NBA playoffs and Butler played an instrumental role in the series the 35-year-old played 45 minutes and filled out the stat sheet with 20 points .css-az13ih{width:100%;aspect-ratio:3/2;border:none;}Fewer teams are feeling more urgency than the Warriors who desperately want to win one more title with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green on the roster Their window isn't open forever with those two in their mid-30s Lacob and general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr weren't focused on what might happen with Butler a year or two down the road They're living in the moment and watching him serve exactly the purpose they intended Jimmy Butler and Buddy Hield have a unique relationship Playing on the same team for the first time in their careers the world would think they'd been teammates for a decade Golden State Warriors press conferences have long been filled with Stephen Curry praise Butler and Hield have brought a different brand of levity to the the Warriors locker room this season to Butler claiming Hield doesn't know anything their conversations with reporters have been comedic gold Hield put forth one of the most prolific performances of his nine-year-career Hield dropped 33 points on the Houston Rockets The Warriors have advanced to the Western Conference Semifinals to take on the Minnesota Timberwolves behind Hield's monster shooting performance While most teammates would be showering Hield with praise Butler isn't quite ready to give Hield his flowers When asked if Hield deserved any of the credit for the Warriors' Game 7 103-89 victory over the Rockets on the Warriors local television broadcast Butler couldn't bring himself to admit what should have been simple and obvious "I plead the Fifth," Butler responded with a wry smile celebrates with forward Jimmy Butler as he speaks to TNT beating the Houston Rockets.Kelley L Cox-Imagn ImagesButler would add 20 points and seven assists to go along with Curry's 22 points While both played solid efficient basketball on both ends of the floor Hield stole the show with his lights out shooting The Warriors next round will tip-off on Tuesday at 9:30 p.m Related: Jimmy Butler Makes Strong Steph Curry Statement After Warriors Debut Related: Draymond Green Calls Out Warriors Teammates Following Game 6 Loss to Rockets either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content The Golden State Warriors took down the Houston Rockets in Game 7 of their first-round playoff series Golden State had dropped the previous two games to give the Rockets life but the more experienced team took over in the final contest More NBA news: Lakers Hold Private Meeting With Luka Doncic as Contract Rumors Swirl Stars Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler helped this Warriors squad advance But Butler was never a guarantee for Golden State and the mid-season acquisition also didn't happen Warriors owner Joe Lacob revealed that he had some serious reservations about trading for the star forward "Yeah, there were (concerns about Butler)," Lacob said Butler has settled in nicely with the Warriors, and the team has flourished with him in the lineup. Since his arrival, the Warriors have been one of the better teams across the NBA on both sides of the ball Golden State owns a record of 23-8 with Butler in the lineup, while also boasting the NBA's third-best net rating It has been an almost perfect pairing between Butler and Golden State thus far The veteran candidly explained how it has all worked out "The way that everybody locked in (when he arrived), it made me feel welcome," Butler said So that's what I'm gonna take into this next round and on any given night we can beat anyone." Golden State will now be facing off against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round The Warriors understand the challenges that lie ahead of them Golden State believes that anything is possible And if this past series was any indication the Warriors seem to be serious players in the Western Conference Nuggets' Russell Westbrook Shares Surprising Accountability After Game 7 Massive Trade Proposal Has Pistons Land Perfect Co-Star For Cade Cunningham For more NBA news and rumors, head on over to Newsweek Sports Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground Newsweek is committed to journalism that is factual and fair We value your input and encourage you to rate this article Newsletters in your inbox See all League City will host on May 7 an open-house meeting for residents to share input and ask questions about the upcoming roadway improvement projects for Turner Street and Butler Road Rachel joined Community Impact in April 2023 and covers government in Pearland She graduated from Baylor University in 2017 with a bachelor's degree in journalism listening to live music and spending time in the great outdoors 16at4Butler Photo by: Creighton AthleticsCreighton Baseball Completes Sweep with 16-4 Win at Butler5/4/2025 3:43:00 PM | Baseball Butler played 69 regular-season games in a Wolves uniform, but his exit was a messy one. Between his notorious practice where he admitted to verbally accosting Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins, followed by his trade demand, he did not leave Minnesota on good terms. After he was traded to the 76ers, he faced the Timberwolves twice, once at Target Center. Since that first meeting in 2019, he played against Minnesota five times when he was with the Heat, and only two of those games were in Minneapolis. Butler joined the Heat before the 2019-20 season, and Miami faced the Wolves 11 times when he was with the franchise. Due to a multitude of reasons, he missed six of those matchups. In the three games he has played at Target Center since leaving Minnesota, he has averaged 19.3 points, 10.3 rebounds and 6.0 assists. Butler was dealt to the Warriors before this year's trade deadline, and this will be his first opportunity to face Minnesota in a Golden State uniform. Tuesday night will mark 1,259 days since he last played in an NBA game at Target Center — and it's fair highly probable that he'll be greeted with a chorus of boos. Butler was conveniently out of the lineup each of the last six times Minnesota played Miami in the regular season, but there's no ducking this one. Game 1 might be one of the most hostile environments in the history of Target Center, and Butler's return will be a big reason why. LoadingDarius Butler Breaks 80?!: Featuring Bryson DeChambeauPat McAfee Show co-host and former NFL star Darius Butler is on a mission to improve his golf game and finally break 80. At LIV Golf Houston he caught up with Bryson Dechambea to get some driving tips. Which LIV Golf Superstar will help Darius break 80 next? Volunteer © 2022 - 2025 LIV Golf Inc and LIV Golf Ltd as the championship window for Steph Curry was closing and they were in desperate need of a second star alongside him if they wanted to be NBA playoff contenders they struck a deal for disgruntled Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler Butler finished his first-round series against the Houston Rockets averaging 18.3 points and 6.0 rebounds per game as he helped close out the series and avoid a 3-1 comeback from Houston Butler was asked about his teammate Draymond Green delivering an honest statement about the star defender Jimmy on playing with Draymond:"The way like he can talk to anybody and everybody and it's so like on point and it's quick. All the battles that he goes through, it's his leadership quality of like getting to the point and moving on that I respect the most" pic.twitter.com/biEq8a1bzg "The way like he can talk to anybody and everybody and it's so like on point and it's quick...Tell me that's two loose balls that you didn't get No more'...All the battles that he goes through it's his leadership quality of like getting to the point and moving on that I respect the most," Butler said While Green got in his fair share of altercations this season such as his game-winning stop against Alperen Sengun in Game 4 Even though his Defensive Player of the Year campaign came up short he's still one of the most impactful defenders in the league Jimmy Butler on Draymond Green:"...What I respect more than anything is the way he can talk to anybody and everybody and it's so on point, and it's quick...tell me, 'Hey, that's two loose balls that you didn't get. No more'...it's his leadership quality of 'get to the point and… pic.twitter.com/5uWP5nduQG they'll be tasked with slowing down the Minnesota Timberwolves in the next round with star guard Anthony Edwards as motivated as ever to continue taking down the top stars in the league Draymond Green Reveals 'Embarrassing' Moment After Warriors-Rockets Game 7 Steve Kerr Reveals Draymond Green's Message Before Warriors-Rockets Game 7 Steph Curry Makes NBA History in Warriors-Rockets Game 7 LIAM WILLERUPA 2024 graduate of the University of Miami, Liam spent several years covering the University’s football and basketball teams. An avid basketball fan, you can find Liam on X @theleftyliam where he’s constantly sharing his thoughts. Before folding himself into the car for the eight-hour drive to Birmingham Brad Stevens wondered aloud why he would travel so far to see Ronald Nored’s high school basketball game who had initially committed to Western Kentucky had reopened his recruiting after head coach Darrin Horn left the school for the same position at South Carolina had tentative interest in landing Nored but wasn’t fully sold on the prospect “I’ve got to get in this car and drive to Birmingham Stevens knew Nored’s coach at Homewood High where Nored made the all-state team as a senior who stressed Nored would fit well at Butler Stevens had heard all about Nored’s top-notch leadership When the coaching staff watched game film of Nored a Butler assistant who would later become the head coach at Indiana State recalled wondering if the guard was good enough to recruit Nored didn’t shoot the ball well from outside He didn’t check all the boxes that the Butler coaches normally looked to find in a point guard Stevens asked a question of his assistant coaches before leaving on the long car ride: To land a prospect who would become one of Butler’s most valuable players he had a presence on the court and in huddles He prioritized only what was best for his team By the time Stevens returned from the recruiting trip he had a very different message for his assistant coaches He could see that Nored’s value would exceed his basketball skill set Nored wasn’t just good enough to play at Butler but good enough to start every game of his freshman season and lead the team to back-to-back appearances in the national championship game He finished his career in a tie for Butler’s all-time steals record and ranked second in school history in assists He won the Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year award twice including one season when he finished in a tie Nored also became a prime example of Stevens’ ability to evaluate what puzzle pieces his team needed Stevens has since proven that his talents would translate into an NBA front office by finishing the construction of what might be the league’s most complete roster but it was at Butler where he first showed his gifts for identifying overlooked players and building a team of complementary parts the Celtics will enter Game 1 of their second-round series against New York on Monday with a strong chance to defend their championship where he had a 166-49 record as a head coach and guided the team to the first two Final Four appearances in school history Stevens revealed the tenets he considered most crucial to winning basketball while demonstrating the vision that would one day turn him into a championship-winning president of basketball operations Based on how he approached stitching together rosters back then his former assistant coaches and players have not been surprised to see Stevens value all the same characteristics with the Celtics he targeted at Butler but believed a successful team involved far more than that “Brad understands the most important thing in any organization whether it’s the business world or sports world “And he surrounds himself and finds people that live by the same standards that he lives by.” Butler basketball rocketed into national prominence soon after Stevens took over as head coach but built the foundation for success before his tenure under coaches such as Barry Collier and Todd Lickliter During Stevens’ final season as an assistant coach under Lickliter the team reached the Sweet 16 before falling to Al Horford’s Florida Gators the coaches at Butler were always fighting to overcome the realities of a mid-major program Since they couldn’t necessarily target five-star recruits “We were very particular with our recruiting,” Graves said Butler typically sought players from winning programs It wanted players willing to put the team above individual success When the assistants under Stevens attended high school games or AAU games to recruit they weren’t just evaluating a player’s physical gifts or basketball IQ They observed how players handled themselves in huddles How they behaved when they were on the bench or in foul trouble Graves said the coaches would discuss all of those details “The biggest thing in looking for guys was did they fit the team concept?” said Graves How did they act when they weren’t playing well or when things weren’t going well for them?” a Butler assistant under Stevens who followed Stevens to the Celtics and is now the head coach at Notre Dame said the Butler coaches scoured for information about players’ personalities like NBA teams do before the draft Once they were confident a high schooler was talented enough to play at Butler their focus shifted more toward his character said he would go to schools and ask teachers and janitors about a player Coaches and parents would usually praise a player to anyone recruiting him but someone else might share more useful information when you walk through the hallway to talk to people Or even something as simple as how do you warm up Does somebody need to motivate you or are you bringing energy to your teammates?” He wanted lineups with multiple ballhandlers He wanted winners who would habitually do the right things Stevens cared about how the pieces fit together on and off the court he instructed his assistant coaches to trust their own vision for how a player would fit in the program “That approach was more like putting a puzzle together,” said Johnson Stevens told his assistants not to worry about recruiting rankings or any media reaction He wanted them to look at a player’s strengths He encouraged his assistants to think outside the box and believe in their evaluations “If you feel like that’s the person that helps your program and you see the vision for that player “It doesn’t matter what the outside people think And I think that’s a really powerful thing And a lot of people get caught up in caring what rankings (players) are and all that but it really was more about just trusting your eyes and your evaluation Parts of the Butler culture were established before Stevens took over the program would drive to play pickup with the team during his time in high school Hahn said the Butler players would run the flow offense the team used in real games just like they would do in the regular season Aiming to play within the framework of the team’s style they would typically avoid the bad shot selection and questionable effort that often plagues pickup games each guy really just played their role,” said Hahn Nobody tried to take over if it wasn’t their role Shrewsberry said that when a younger player would bring a phone near the court one of the older players would alert him that phones weren’t allowed during pickup time the players didn’t want everybody scattering to their phones and spending their time alone Hahn said the players would police themselves thanks to NCAA rules that prevented them from watching offseason pickup games The younger players could learn about the culture just from watching the juniors and seniors “Everything was just so competitive,” said Hahn “And it wasn’t that coaches were yelling at you It was the players that they had were all intrinsically motivated individuals.” Those were the type of individuals Stevens sought Because he wasn’t the kind of coach to yell at his teams consistently he needed players who required no such motivation “It’s not that they weren’t gonna be held accountable we’re gonna cuss at them and just make them play out of fear,” said Graves “That wasn’t how we were gonna be successful It was (finding) guys that really cared about winning and they came to work Butler featured several stars during Stevens’ tenure and Shelvin Mack went on to play in the NBA Matt Howard was an honorable mention All-American in 2009 it was beyond improbable for a team from the Horizon League to reach two consecutive national championship games No team in the conference’s history had ever reached the Final Four before Stevens searched for players like Nored who would accentuate their teammates daily The culture of work established at the school helped him avoid the wrong fits Hahn noticed a recruit failing to hustle back on defense upperclassmen might have prioritized keeping the recruit happy in hopes he would commit to the school The uber-competitive Hahn wasn’t going to ignore the lack of effort Stevens called Hahn into his office and asked what he said to the young prospect Hahn thought Stevens was angry after learning Hahn had used some language he shouldn’t have used with a 17-year-old Butler ended up missing out on the recruit who became an all-league player at another college but didn’t fit what they wanted at Butler — players who would be desperate to win even during open gym He can’t handle the competitiveness that we want in our guys,’” Hahn recalled Stevens had no experience in an NBA front office when the Celtics named him Danny Ainge’s replacement in June 2021 Those with Stevens at Butler still believed he was more than qualified for the job he’s going to crush this,” said Shrewsberry The former Butler assistants have nodded their heads several times while watching the way Stevens has assembled the Celtics roster They see his impact in the way his team has consistently avoided drama secured buy-in and acquired players committed fully to their development He has looked for all the same qualities he would have wanted at the school “The Jrue Holiday and Derrick White (trades) those are Brad guys right there,” said Shrewsberry “The biggest thing he did (at Butler) was he never held anybody back,” said Hahn “He always let people be who they were because he knew he recruited the right kind of guys in the system He figured out a pattern of success and had some really good talent but the (Payton) Pritchards of the world are just as important as the Jaylen Browns and the Jayson Tatums I think he empowers players by treating everybody the same allowing people to be who they are and trying to get them to just soar with their strengths.” putting the finishing touches on a roster Ainge began building the Celtics knocked the Magic out of the first round in five games after completing their second consecutive 60-win regular season the Celtics will continue their journey to become the NBA’s first repeat champion since the Warriors in 2018 Stevens first stepped into Ainge’s former role one day after a 36-36 season that ended with a first-round playoff exit the organization’s future was filled with uncertainty Stevens has rearranged almost the entire supporting cast He has constructed the Celtics according to his basketball ideals “He really just wants to be around good people we all achieve something bigger than ourselves.” (Illustration: Kelsea Petersen/ The Athletic; Photos: Maddie Malhotra/ Getty Images Jay King is a staff writer for The Athletic covering the Boston Celtics. He previously covered the team for MassLive for five years. He also co-hosts the "Anything Is Poddable" podcast. Follow Jay on Twitter @byjayking have advanced to the conference semifinals as the seventh seed Now set to face the sixth-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves Steph Curry and the Warriors could create a storyline that sounds all too familiar for Heat fans Speaking with Sam Amick of The Athletic, Warriors owner Joe Lacob raved over what he's seen from Butler it was a little bit of a risk," Lacob said Warriors owner Joe Lacob on midseason acquisition of Jimmy Butler: “We’ve got to take risks in this life. And he’s worth every freaking penny. That’s all I can say. He’s fantastic.” https://t.co/lFH6RbwfJx Butler signed a contract extension for $121 million over two years He was traded after disputes over another potential contract extension The Heat were reportedly waiting until this offseason to make a decision opted to request a trade in hopes of landing the contract extension he felt he deserved after helping lead the Heat to two NBA Finals appearances “Sometimes you get them right,” Lacob said about Butler 5.9 assists and 5.5 rebounds with the Warriors The Miami Heat's season came to an end a week ago after being swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round former Heat star Jimmy Butler and the Golden State Warriors advanced to the conference semifinals after winning a Game 7 on the road as the seventh seed Butler, who was traded away earlier this season after a public dispute with management and multiple team suspensions, spoke on his time with the Warriors He made a particular comment that caught the eye of some Heat fans "It's always good to be wanted and appreciated for your skill set and your talent," Butler said "Here they welcomed me with open arms and let me be the player that I am and it fit into what they do so incredibly well." The numbers would have been higher if not for an injury in Game 2 that allowed him to only play eight minutes He took plenty shots at Heat management after they were unable to reach a deal for an extension This just seems like yet another dig at Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra Alexander Toledo is a contributor to Miami Heat On SI and producer/co-host of the Five on the Floor podcast, covering the Heat and NBA. He can be reached at toledoalexander22@gmail.com. Twitter: @tropicalblanket ALEX TOLEDOAlex, who was born in Miami, is also a producer, co-host and reporter for the Five on the Floor podcast. He has covered the Heat and NBA since 2019 as a season credential holder. He studied journalism at Florida International University. That led to some good-natured trolling between teammates after Sunday's Game 7 win over the Houston Rockets Buddy Hield joked that Butler is actually the Alfred to Curry's Batman since his name is Butler: That Butler would see himself as the Robin to Curry's Batman comes as no surprise The latter has been the face of the Warriors franchise throughout his 16-year career and has won four championships two scoring titles and 11 All-Star selections Curry is a Warriors icon and remains their go-to option even at 37 years old Butler is accustomed to being in a starring role himself as a six-time All-Star and five-time All-NBA selection who led the Miami Heat to the NBA Finals when he was their Batman but he understandably has accepted a role as the No Yet Hield earned the right to have a little fun with the star after Sunday's Game 7 win over the Rockets .css-az13ih{width:100%;aspect-ratio:3/2;border:none;}The Oklahoma product poured in 33 points on 9-of-11 shooting from three-point range as a massive difference-maker in the decisive contest With Houston so focused on stopping Curry and preventing him from getting any looks on the outside Hield found himself with plenty of space and took full advantage He will likely need to do the same against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round with all of the attention Curry and Butler draw he can continue teasing Butler as the Warriors advance further into the playoffs Jimmy Butler has played only three games in Minnesota since his infamous maneuver to be traded away from the Timberwolves None will have the stakes of the upcoming Western Conference semifinals series between the Warriors and the Wolves It'll be time for a bit of reckoning of Butler's 2018 actions he returned to practice one day and pretty much challenged everyone in practice MORE: Buddy Hield breaks Steph Curry's Game 7 record Butler is reported to have taken the Minnesota benchwarmers and run the table against the Timberwolves' starters but he's also pretty darn savage and often delivers in the big moments but he's just as much about quieting the haters in any setting The Minnesota crowd will certainly boo Butler but that seems just as likely to wake him up as anything else So just stick around for the theater of the upcoming series But the competition with the most dramatic intrigue will be Butler against Minneapolis Billy Heyen is a freelance writer with The Sporting News He is a 2019 graduate of Syracuse University who has written about many sports and fantasy sports for The Sporting News Sports reporting work has also appeared in a number of newspapers including the Sandusky Register and Rochester Democrat & Chronicle the Warriors resemble a sitcom thanks to the antics between Butler and Hield Butler gets a kick out of giving Hield a hard time so seeing the veteran guard score a game-high 33 points to help lead Golden State to victory put him in a tough spot Butler was not prepared to go so far as to give Hield credit so he resorted to legal measures when asked if Hield's performance was praiseworthy "I plead the Fifth."Jimmy isn't ready to give Buddy any credit 😂 pic.twitter.com/B66AX5naak When it was time for Butler's postgame press conference, Hield was ready. Butler had previously likened himself as Robin to Curry's Batman whom he jokingly called Alfred in an amusing back-and-forth between the two while Butler was attempting to sit at the podium Buddy Hield welcomes Jimmy Butler to the podium and the two go back-and-forthHield: “Tell them you’re not Robin no more.” pic.twitter.com/vBj5NSE4Rl Then, even though you could tell how painful it was for him, Butler eventually gave Hield credit when asked about his performance "Buddy gets paid a lot of money to play at a high level Good for you Buddy," Butler deadpanned before getting serious But we know the type of basketball player that he is And he's a tough cover for sure whenever he's making shots But he made so many right plays on the defensive side of the ball "Getting the ball where it needed to be Butler and Hield go together like orange juice and toothpaste but the yin and yang dynamic is working just fine for the Warriors who will advance to the conference semifinals against the Minnesota Timberwolves By WSFA 12 News StaffPublished: May. 4, 2025 at 5:14 PM CDT|Updated: May. 4, 2025 at 5:21 PM CDTEmail This LinkShare on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInBUTLER COUNTY, Ala. (WSFA) - A woman from Texas has died following a two-vehicle crash on Interstate 65 in Alabama Sunday morning According to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Ramirez was fatally injured after her motorcycle struck another car near the 111 mile marker in Butler County ALEA officers are investigating to determine what lead to the crash Not reading this story on the WSFA News App? Get news alerts FASTER and FREE in the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store 12at7Butler Creighton Sets New Program Record with 10 Stolen Bases 13at1Butler Photo by: Mac JohnsonBluejay Baseball Blisters Butler Taking Series with 13-1 Win5/3/2025 3:39:00 PM | Baseball It seemed like a renewed Golden State team that had played like one of the best in the league since trading for Jimmy Butler in February was going to cruise past the Houston Rockets in the first round when it seized a 3-1 lead, but two straight losses forced it into a win-or-go-home situation on the road for Sunday's Game 7. The Warriors' leaders responded with a players-only meeting and then handled their business on the way to a 103-89 victory. Draymond Green and Butler called the "emotional players-only meeting" on Saturday shortly after the team landed in Houston Head coach Steve Kerr didn't join until the meeting was well underway and Green had already addressed his mistakes from the Game 6 loss "Draymond set the tone last night at the team meeting," Kerr said I thought the flagrant foul was a tone-setter and he knew it and so he talked to the group and said 'I got to be poised and I have to be better and we're going to come in here tomorrow and get it done.' And I think his emotional stability tonight Anthony Slater of The Athletic relayed quotes from Green as well "I had a lot to say," Green said "Most importantly was calling myself out … You can't be a leader and not be accountable You call other guys out when their s--t stinks I listened to 'Check Out Time' on the way to the game the other day I spent the last two days embarrassed at what I gave to the game as Youngmisuk reported Curry made it clear he was going to protect the ball in Game 7 while Butler did what he could to inspire confidence "My message to my guys was I wasn't being who I was," Butler said "In a sense of pumping confidence into my guys I think that's a part of my leadership that I've learned and gained throughout my years of playing this game at a high level "I wasn't doing that for the first six games so I wanted to make sure to let them know that I was going to show everything was going to be fine we're right where we wanted to be and I think I got back to being who I'm supposed to be." .css-az13ih{width:100%;aspect-ratio:3/2;border:none;}The meeting worked as the Warriors advanced with a dominant defensive effort and balanced offensive attack Curry took over in the fourth quarter and finished with 22 points perhaps most importantly given his goal coming out of the meeting eight rebounds and seven assists) and Green (16 points five assists and two blocks) also stuffed the stat sheet But it was Buddy Hield who provided arguably the most important lift with 33 points behind a red-hot 9-of-11 shooting from three-point range With Rockets defenders constantly hounding Curry and making sure he didn't get open Hield was able to take full advantage of the spacing and make the home team pay Things don't get much easier from here with a second-round showdown against Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves but this Warriors core is battle-tested and playing at a high level Sunday also proved it can come together to overcome adversity with the season on the line The Weekly Injection: New Releases From PROPAGANDHI The Weekly Injection: New Releases From GHOST MACHINE HEAD & More Out This Week 4/25 The Weekly Injection: New Releases From MELVINS BLACKWATER HOLYLIGHT & More Out This Week 4/18 The Weekly Injection: New Releases From EPICA THE MARS VOLTA & More Out This Week 4/11 The Weekly Injection: New Releases from ALLEGAEON FULL OF HELL Grinds Hard On New Single "Broken Sword HEALTH & CHELSEA WOLFE Team Up For Collaborative New Single "Mean" PRIMUS Recruits MAYNARD JAMES KEENAN For New Single "Little Lord Fentanyl" DRY KILL LOGIC Comes Back With New Single "Now You Belong With The Dead" WITCHCRAFT Stays Doomed On New Single "Spirit" 10 Modern Metal Artists You Need To Catch At Sonic Temple 2025 10 Butt Rock Anthems That Actually Kinda Rule LARCENIA ROE Names The Top Five Most Brutal Album Covers 10 Black Albums By Bands That Aren't Metallica 10 Greatest Nü-Metal Performances of All Time PARADISE LOST's New Record Is Done Being Recorded METALLICA Announces Massive Load Reissue Feat The Extended Version Of "The Outlaw Torn" Two Major Rock & Metal Names Appeared In Google's Year In Search 2024 Roundup Man Arrested For Getting Too Drunk & Resisting Arrest At A HAWTHORNE HEIGHTS Show In Disney Important: Here's CARCASS Partying To "Feliz Navidad" On Stage CRADLE OF FILTH's Jesus Shirt Is Still Making Crybabies Mad When We Were Young Festival Merch Riddled With Typos Interview: From Dystopian Thrash To Existential Cosmic Horror – How CRYPTOSIS Expanded Their Sound With Celestial Death Interview: ARCH ENEMY's MICHAEL AMOTT On Evolution & Pushing Boundaries With Blood Dynasty Inside IMPERIAL TRIUMPHANT's "More Forgiving More Palatable Avant-Death Experience" Goldstar POWERWOLF's MATTHEW GREYWOLF Discusses The Band's New Album North American Tour & Historical Figures In Their Music MAX CAVALERA Sets The Record Straight On A SEPULTURA Reunion His Future Plans & Much More With Metal Injection SUFFOCATION Announces Headlining Dates Around CARNIFEX Tour PARADISE LOST & MESSA Announces European Tour Dates HIGH ON FIRE & NECROT Announce European Tour DANCE GAVIN DANCE Announces Full Lineup For Their Swanfest ANCIIENTS Announces First US Tour In Eight Years "I'm already having palpitations." Enter your information below to get a daily update with all of our headlines and receive The Orchard Metal newsletter It was impossible to miss Drayton Jones in the hallways at Strake Jesuit in Houston As a freshman, the incoming Butler basketball transfer stood 6 foot 7 Friends with fellow students from all walks of life Strake Jesuit basketball coach Dominic Amorosa didn't know it at the time but the mild-mannered Jones could transform his persona into "Diesel" once he took to the court "He was like a big ole' teddy bear," Amorosa said He was like a gentle giant in the way he carried himself Jones was always one of the biggest kids in his class is a 6-9 former college basketball player at Southeastern Louisiana Trips to Foot Locker stopped for his son when he was 12 years old The family couldn't find size 18 shoes at the mall He'd outgrow them before the school year finished but how he'd use his size wasn't always clear He played offensive tackle and defensive end He didn't start playing basketball until he was 11 years old his father knew his son's future was on the hardwood and I knew that he was going to play basketball some day," Darryl said He just had to grow into (his body) and mature your bigs develop slower and he was a late bloomer." against Cooper Flagg helped Drayton Jones developThe origins of the nickname "Diesel" are cloudy He got the nickname from classmates after he wore a Christmas sweater with Diesel on it Darryl said his son earned the nickname as a kid playing basketball because he was so big and forceful that he resembled a young Shaquille O'Neal The way Jones' two-handed dunks left the backboard shaking the comparison to Shaq isn't that far fetched but Jones' development took time when he began playing AAU he played against players several years older than he was It took him between 20 or 30 games to make his first layup playing for the Fort Bend All-Stars being one of the biggest kids in the school didn't negate the fact that he needed to get better Jones began his high school career on the freshman team "He was just sorta kinda trying to figure out his body In AAU it's difficult for big guys because they don't have the ball and they're not handling the ball that's butter' after every shot like it was going to go in but you could tell he was going to be really impactful defensively his rapid improvement caught the eye of powerhouse basketball program Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson Jones transferred to Oak Hill for his senior season where he played a national schedule against other top teams around the country The most eye-opening game for Jones was one against Montverde Academy in Montverde (Florida) a team with what may be one of the best prep rosters ever assembled The 2022-23 Eagles had projected 2025 NBA Draft No Former five-star recruit Kwame Evans led Montverde with 16 points "It was such an eye opener because pretty much every game I played at Oak Hill I was playing somebody who is in the NBA right now or I'm playing people who are at Power Fives," Jones said I love the process of getting better and this basketball journey has been very fulfilling and its paid dividends with the work that I've put in over my life so far." but Jones committed to South Carolina State over East Tennessee State The move from Strake to Oak Hill was challenging for Jones He had grown three inches by the time he got to South Carolina State stronger competition and added another growth opportunity Meet Butler's 'Dennis Rodman' lite: An Isaiah Thomas assist, a disease and growth spurts "I learned I wasn't as good as I thought I was," Jones said "The things that worked in high school wouldn't work for me He broke me down in order to build me back up He broke down everything that I was good at and he broke down everything that I was bad at "Over these last two years he's really tried to help me build a very strong foundation going forward Really just doing as much as possible to facilitate and improve each facet of my game." Jones' best game came against Tulsa during nonconference play Jones scored in double figures just four more times as a freshman but he ended the season reaching double figures in three of his last seven games When the Smith-Hammond-Middleton Center was closed for social functions the big man took to running stairs at the football stadium to work on his conditioning big feet and big hands started to fill out Jones was finally ready to scratch the surface of his immense potential Trainer John Lucas II says Drayton Jones is like NBA's Clint CapelaFully comfortable in his body for the first time in years but he still needed work on the finer points of basketball 1 pick of the 1976 NBA Draft and longtime NBA coach John Lucas II Lucas is well known throughout NBA circles for his player development on and off the court He was most recently an assistant coach for the Houston Rockets Working with Lucas gave Jones a taste of what it's like to train at an NBA level because one thing about coach Lucas is that he'll be consistent every day," Jones said you're still going to have to see him at 6 and he's going to be on you from the time you walk into the gym to the time you walk out "He taught me how to be simple with the game How to play the game effectively and efficiently but I didn't understand the importance of playing hard until I got with coach Lucas this past year." Dawg Talk Podcast: Incoming transfers, lineup projections and more Lucas has had his hands in molding some of the top NBA players from the Houston area and many former Rockets players Lucas compares Jones' demeanor and shot-blocking ability to Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner the longtime coach compares Jones to former NBA rebounding champion "He's a rim runner who can post over either shoulder," Lucas said of Jones "He can set post-side pick-and-rolls and roll for lobs He's a weak side shot blocker and physical force inside I think he fits Butler and Big East basketball to a tee so I taught him pro concepts and where to be from the professional side .. He's in position to do a lot of things that he didn't have earlier." Lucas said when he first started working with Jones he still needed to grow into his body and he needed to improve on his lateral quickness Jones has the agility to switch onto guards in a pinch and the high basketball IQ to be a dominant shot blocker beating his man down the court and making himself available for lobs and offensive rebounds Jones worked on his jump shot to add an additional layer to his game Jones' fundamentals are solid and he's accurate in the mid-range He did not attempt a 3-pointer at South Carolina State but he improved his free throw shooting from 63% as a freshman to 69% as a sophomore helped the Bulldogs go on an 11-game winning streak and reach the MEAC conference title game Jones' work with Lucas led to a breakout sophomore campaign earning first-team All-MEAC and all-defensive team honors He scored a career-high 34 points in the Dec "It was confidence from the work I put in off the court with my trainer as far as lifting and conditioning to the work I put in on the court "Just the confidence I built within myself and the confidence that everybody else in the program — coaches Just going into every single game trying to do the best I can for my team "I had the same approach for every single game to attack and to do what needed to be done in order to win." Once Jones established himself as a two-way threat opposing teams tried to attack him off the dribble to put him in foul trouble Jones said he knows the importance of protecting the rim without fouling he earned the trust of his coaches to play late into games with four fouls Injury or foul trouble would greatly diminish the Bulldogs' frontcourt depth so adding another big with its last open roster should not be out of the question for Thad Matta and his staff Sister's death was 'super difficult.' How Butler transfer Yame Butler found 'a lot of joy' Jones has embraced challenges at every level he's reached He knows conquering the Big East is his latest challenge "I'm going into a place where I know I'm not going to be the best but I'm going somewhere where I know I'm going to get better," Jones said I'm going to be playing against pros every day I'm going to welcome that because I've always welcomed the challenge I've never been considered somebody who was the cream of the crop and I've always used that as motivation to get better I've used that chip on my shoulder to flourish." The Dubs were 25-25 when they traded for Butler The Warriors faced the Houston Rockets in the first round of the 2025 playoffs and won the series in seven games who missed Game 3 after getting hurt in Game 2 and 0.3 blocks in the best-of-seven series He only missed one game after suffering a pelvic contusion in Game 2.  After the Warriors beat the Rockets in Game 7 on Sunday, Golden State owner Joe Lacob admitted to Sam Amick of The Athletic that he had some concerns about acquiring Butler who had been traded by every team he'd played for.  Lacob quickly found out how "fantastic" Butler is.  there were (concerns about Butler),” Lacob said But we’ve got to take risks in this life And he’s worth every freaking penny Golden State Warriors star Jimmy Butler The Warriors play one of Butler's old teams, the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round of the playoffs.  has felt welcomed in Golden State since Day 1.  “The way that everybody locked in (when he arrived) it made me feel welcome,” Butler said (It’s a) really good group of hoopers So that’s what I’m gonna take into this next round You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience A man accused of attempting to kill another man in the City of Butler last year will have one final court appearance before the start of his trial 36-year-old Samuel Lopez of Butler is accused of attempting to kill 32-year-old Jose Rodriguez-Hernandez in the 300 block of East Pearl Street in February 2024 Police used witness testimony and DNA evidence to connect Lopez to the crime Lopez allegedly asked Rodriguez-Hernandez for money but when Lopez was denied He will appear in a Butler County Courtroom tomorrow; he was denied bail and has been held in the Butler County Prison since he was charged in June last year Lopez has been charged with Criminal attempt (homicide) tamper with/fabricate with physical evidence To access content, please login or purchase a subscription © 2025 Williamson County Sun First responders were busy last night dealing with a number of calls related to flooding The National Weather Service issued the flash flood warning just before 9 p.m The strong storms soon followed and brought heavy rain The Butler County 911 Center handled nearly three dozen calls for flooded basements There were also a number of calls for vehicles that got stuck in flooded roadways The Butler area could see another round of storms today As Black Sabbath prepare to take their final bow at their hometown stadium this summer, bassist Geezer Butler says he’s already having nightmares about how it could all go wrong With the big night fast approaching, 75-year-old Butler admits to The Guardian that he’s been feeling the nerves — even in his sleep “I’m already having palpitations,” says the musician I dreamed everything went wrong on stage and we all turned to dust.” “It’s important that we leave a great impression since it’s the final time that people will experience us live The bassist isn’t the only one feeling the pressure. Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne who’s faced a host of health challenges in recent years also opened up about his concerns ahead of the gig Following a fall in 2019 that aggravated a spinal injury and several surgeries later the Prince of Darkness is taking nothing for granted I don’t think I’ll be doing much jumping or running around this time Fans hoping for a full Sabbath set may want to temper their expectations as well for Osbourne has confirmed that their slot will be more of a “sample” than a marathon show “We’re only playing a couple of songs each I don’t want people thinking ‘We’re getting ripped off’ because it’s just going to be … what’s the word you’re going to get a few songs each by Ozzy and Sabbath,” he says Meanwhile, Ozzy previously revealed that he’s undergoing “endurance training” in preparation for Sabbath’s final gig “The first thing to go when you’re laid up is your stamina I’m doing two sets of three-minute walks and weight training you know?” he said in an interview with guitarist Billy Morrison but I’ve been laying on my back recovering from umpteen surgeries.” More information on Back To The Beginning is available via the Black Sabbath website. The world’s leading authority and resource for all things guitar. The Minnesota Timberwolves and Golden State Warriors are set to collide in the Western Conference semifinals The series gets underway with Tuesday night's Game 1 There are no shortage of storylines heading into this much-anticipated second-round matchup which can only be described as must-see TV Here are five things to watch for in the best-of-seven series between the Wolves and Warriors: That's the last time Butler took the court at Target Center, and his return to Minneapolis is no doubt the most intriguing story heading into this semifinal series Since his tumultuous tenure with the Wolves — which lasted all of a season and a half — Butler has seldom subjected himself to the ire of Wolves fans was the last time Butler played in Minneapolis as various injuries over the years resulted in missed games against his former team Butler helped the Wolves return to the postseason after a 14-year drought But frustration with his contract situation led him to force his way out of Minnesota the following season and he went from beloved to loathed among Wolves fans Just wait for that Game 1 Target Center crowd you could give Green the title of Public Enemy No Green, aside from building a generally unfavorable reputation over the years, has a particular distaste for Gobert the two will go down as the top defensive players of their era Green won the Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2017 and he likely would have won more if it weren't for four-time winner Gobert Will there be another physical altercation Can Green contain his emotions and avoid flagrant and technical fouls Can Gobert take advantage of his size and make Green eat his words Will one be the guy that pushes their team over the top We'll have to wait and see what this edition of Green and Gobert brings The series will be an intriguing chess match between Wolves coach Chris Finch and Warriors coach Steve Kerr Both have shown adaptability in the playoffs Kerr used three different starting lineups in their first-round series against the Rockets — Butler missing Game 3 forced his hand for one — making adjustments and using the players that fit at the right moments Finch has stuck to the same starting group but he hasn't been hesitant to close with different lineups Jaden McDaniels got the most minutes against him in the regular season How will the Warriors look to contain Edwards How will Kerr game plan for Minnesota's massive size advantage This series could see more major coaching adjustments than the first-round series against the Lakers Kerr is arguably the best coach in the NBA and Finch has proven his ability to game plan is as good as any coach in the NBA As the Wolves and Warriors battle on the court there will be a great chess match between Finch and Kerr off of it Edwards started building quite the playoff resume last season when he and the Timberwolves swept Kevin Durant Devin Booker and the Phoenix Suns in the first round before taking down Nikola Jokic Jamal Murray and the defending champion Denver Nuggets in the second round to reach the Western Conference finals for the first time in 20 years While Edwards and the Wolves missed out on the NBA Finals they're back in the playoffs this season and made a statement with a 4-1 series win over a Lakers team featuring all-time scoring leader LeBron James and Luka Doncic who sent the Wolves home in last year's Western Conference finals with the Dallas Mavericks Though he's said he doesn't want to be the "face of the NBA," Edwards might not be able to keep himself out of that conversation if he takes down another all-time great in Curry and the Golden State Warriors The Wolves would be in the West finals in back-to-back seasons Whether he's scoring 40 or getting off double teams Edwards' young legacy will take another jump with a series win over yet another all-time great There's no question that Edwards is a star and if he leads the Wolves past the Warriors the conversation will be whether he's arrived as the new and next face of the league and it's been in a transition phase between the longtime stars who've dominated the game for decades and the rising next generation of players This series couldn't be a better contrast between the two Curry is 37 years old and looking to add a fifth NBA title to his resume has been one of his key sidekicks through that whole run but remains in search of his first championship Even key role players like Buddy Hield and Gary Payton II are each 32 They're not absent youth — Brandin Podziemski and Moses Moody are 22 and Quinten Post is 25 — but Curry Green and Butler are the engine of the Warriors they're not without veterans — the starting lineup features a 37-year-old Mike Conley and a 32-year-old Gobert — but the engine is powered by the young core of Edwards Their two other key role players in guards Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Donte DiVincenzo are 26 and 28 years old It's the veterans versus the next generation Can the vets turn the clock back one last time The Butler County Symphony has named a new conductor Moon Doh was announced as the new leader at last night’s annual Symphony Gala Doh was selected after an extensive search that saw more than 150 applicants Doh most recently served as the associate conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony since 2021 and has been a guest conductor of the Butler County Symphony Rounding up all Warriors and NBA related news for Monday Hield dropped 22 points in the first half alone and finished with a game-high 33 points on nine made threes—tied for the most in Game 7 history "It's a childhood dream. We all talk about Game 7s. We all want to play in Game 7s. But once you're actually playing in a Game 7 and getting prepared for it? It's one of the hardest things ever."Buddy Hield on dealing with the jitters of his first Game 7: pic.twitter.com/Oc8WftgPar Hield credited a meeting led by the team’s veteran core for getting him locked in on Sunday night "We had a very emotional meeting led by Draymond, Steph and Jimmy" Buddy Hield touched on a meeting that the @warriors held after their Game 6 loss pic.twitter.com/EhyUvWnZiW Curry was the next highest scorer with 22 points—14 of which came in the fourth quarter Curry praised Hield for his timely scoring keeping the Warriors afloat in Game 7 “That’s what the game called for, and he answered it.”Steph on Buddy Hield’s 33-PT performance in Game 7 #NBAPlayoffs presented by Google pic.twitter.com/D1fVmtULUj he couldn’t help but acknowledge his best frenemy’s big-time performance The Warriors now turn their attention to the Western Conference Semifinals, with Game 1 against the Minnesota Timberwolves tipping off Tuesday night in Minneapolis For more on this and other news around the NBA here is our latest news round-up for Monday This, clearly, wasn’t the first time Brooks has been on the receiving end of a Hield explosion. Hield was hearkening back nine years to March 2016, when he put up 37 for the Oklahoma Sooners in the Elite Eight clasping on his several diamond link chains Green said he changed up his pregame routine on Sunday He wanted to enter Game 7 with a calm approach He had a layup and two 3s in the first five minutes — part of a 16-point performance — and didn’t celebrate either jumper with his patented “Boom!” yell “I pouted way too much last game,” Green said “I spent the last two days embarrassed at what I gave to the game “That was one of the toughest defenses I think I’ve ever faced.”Steph Curry on the Rockets defense pic.twitter.com/e1xeNGOpVu Draymond Green: “Saw Fred (VanVleet) made a comment earlier saying, ‘This ain’t that team.’ It’s that organization, though. And we like coming to this city and playing in these situations. It’s been good to us.” ️ ️ pic.twitter.com/h1V1wxcmMs “I’m a winner.”Steph on what he thinks his reputation is in Houston after winning five series there ️ pic.twitter.com/MkHWdta6z6 Even if the Los Angeles Lakers had been able to extend their first-round series with a win against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Wednesday’s Game 5 they would have had their work cut out for the rest of the series — and the playoffs An MRI on Thursday revealed that Lakers star LeBron James suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain in his left knee in the fourth quarter of Game 5 The injury entails a three-to-five-week recommended recovery timeline Amen and Ausar Thompson are done for the season but these 21-year-olds fit right in with the intensity of the playoffs with the Rockets and Pistons Amen Thompson was impactful on both ends against the Warriors until he was slowed late in Game 7 by a calf strain. The Knicks’ Jalen Brunson victimized Ausar Thompson on the series-winning shot but afterward Brunson saluted him — “he’s big time” — and Thompson shut Brunson down in Game 5 (4-16 shooting) PLAYOFF BRACKET GSW advances to the West SemisIND takes a 1-0 series leadThe #NBAPlayoffs presented by Google continue Monday with 2 Game 1's on TNT! pic.twitter.com/abdcpLP7UY Kerr also said after Game 6 that Looney was likely to play more helping stabilize the glass and the interior defense He was also the only Warriors bench player to score Follow @unstoppablebaby on Twitter for all the latest news on the Golden State Warriors