Jimmy Butler led the Golden State Warriors with 21 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists in Sunday’s 114-83 victory against the Indiana Pacers at Chase Center. The win improved Golden State to 6-5 overall and 5-0 at home, while Indiana fell to 1-9, losing its fourth consecutive game.
Speaking after the game, Butler praised his team’s overall performance and offensive spacing, especially with Stephen Curry sidelined due to a cold. “Our pace was great. We were spaced incredibly well tonight on offense,” he said, adding that balancing aggression with sharing shots was key.
Butler also highlighted his role in helping teammates find open looks, particularly Al Horford. “As great of screens as he sets for me and protecting everybody at the rim, it’s only right whenever he’s open, he gets the ball every single time,” Butler said. Horford responded with 12 points off the bench, contributing to the Warriors’ 13-0 run spanning the third and fourth quarters.
On the team’s upcoming six-game road trip, Butler emphasized the need to compete regardless of Curry’s availability. “Even if he isn’t ready to go, we still got to go out there and we got to compete,” he said, acknowledging the challenge of facing strong opponents like San Antonio twice.
Butler also spoke about supporting younger players, including Jonathan Kuminga and Will Richard. He encouraged Kuminga to stay consistent despite uneven scoring nights. “You’re not going to play great every night, you’re not going to play bad every night either…Those days will even out,” Butler said.
Richard, meanwhile, has impressed with his adaptability and willingness to learn, Butler noted. “He’s a winner. He’s hella smart…whatever you tell him to do, he understands that it’s to win.”
In addition to Butler’s leadership, Golden State received 14 points and seven rebounds from Quinten Post and 14 points from Brandin Podziemski. The Warriors shot 43.2% overall and 27.3% from three, dominating the Pacers who struggled from deep, making just 12 of 44 attempts.
Andrew Nembhard led Indiana with 14 points and nine assists, while Pascal Siakam did not play, and Aaron Nesmith was out with a forearm injury.
The Warriors will begin a six-game road swing at Oklahoma City, while Indiana continues its road trip at Utah on Tuesday.
