On a night when Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler combined for 17 points on 6-of-14 shooting, the Golden State Warriors cruised to a 26-point win.
Of course, much of the headlines from Golden State's 130-104 blowout victory over the Sacramento Kings will revolve around Curry, and reasonably so. He became the NBA's first member of the 4,000 three-pointer club.
Nonetheless, Curry's historic moment prompted folks to gloss over a noteworthy recurring development that's helped turn the Warriors around virtually overnight: Butler's distributing efforts.
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Jimmy Butler is changing the Warriors, but not with his scoring
Butler's playmaking contributions shouldn't be overlooked. He dished out a team-high seven assists in Golden State's shellacking of the Kings. His passing ability and court vision were on full display, which have been massive factors for the surging Warriors.
Since arriving at Golden State, Butler has registered at least five dimes in 10 of his first 14 games. His knack for scanning the floor from the high post and making the right read has been a transformative asset for the Warriors. It's alleviated a good chunk of playmaking/ball-handling responsibilities from Curry, which has paid tremendous dividends.
With Butler handling facilitating duties, Curry has been able to focus on what he does best: Wreaking havoc as an off-ball movement shooter. The latter runs around the court like a madman, and defenses must account for his otherworldly shooting prowess -- at all times.
The Warriors' offense is fully optimized when Curry can get open catch-and-shoot looks off screens. Butler has enabled him to operate in this capacity while allowing secondary playmakers like second-year swingman Brandin Podziemski to fall into more suitable roles.
Podziemski has seen his usage rate increase considerably since Butler entered the mix, though he's functioned more as a scorer. The former has attempted three more shots per game with the latter than without, which has resulted in a three-point uptick.
When Butler is in the lineup, Golden State is 13-1 -- and it hardly feels like a coincidence. In a small sample size, he's been one of the most impactful trade deadline acquisitions in recent league memory.
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