Jimmy Butler led the Golden State Warriors with 30 points, seven rebounds, and six assists in a 124-111 defeat to the Atlanta Hawks at Chase Center on Sunday.
Reflecting on the loss, Butler said, “A lot of miscues. Didn’t make too many shots… we just didn’t guard anybody. Low effort game, which can’t happen at home, can’t happen anywhere.”
The veteran emphasized accountability for younger teammates, advising, “Stay in it, man… you just got to figure out ways to impact the game when your shot isn’t falling. You know, rebound, you take charge, you dive on the floor… that’s part of being a pro.”
Butler addressed recent team turnovers, noting, “We did have some turnovers… at least five, six, seven of them weren’t live ball turnovers… bad pass out of bounds, illegal screens… there’s a silver lining.”
He acknowledged the league’s increased pace and scoring opportunities, adding, “Turnovers, easy points, those are hard to come by in this league… once you see that ball go through the basket, it just gets bigger and bigger and your confidence grows.”
Butler also stressed the importance of defense, saying, “I don’t think the game is going to come down to if we miss or make threes, we better figure out a way to get some stops.”
On bench production, he praised Al Horford and the second unit, stating, “Al’s great. Our bench is great… it’s never going to be on the bench. It’s going to be us as a collective to do what we’re supposed to do. Take care of the ball, guard, communicate.”
Butler highlighted Horford’s leadership, describing him as “the center of this team… he’s won at every level that he’s played at. Ask him to do it, he’s going to do it because he knows that’s what it takes to win… makes shots, protects the rim, energy is always great.”
Atlanta controlled the tempo after a brief Warriors surge, improving to 20-21 with their third consecutive win. Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 24 points with timely shooting, while Jalen Johnson posted 23 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists.
Luke Kennard added a season-high 22 points off the bench, hitting six three-pointers as the Hawks stretched the floor consistently. Onyeka Okongwu contributed 18 points and 12 rebounds, helping Atlanta finish with a 46-48 edge on the glass.
Golden State received little support outside Butler and Stephen Curry, who scored 31 points, as no other player reached double digits. Atlanta snapped the Warriors’ three-game home winning streak and will face the Lakers on Tuesday, while Golden State hosts Portland.
