Jimmy Butler’s all-around excellence helps Curry-less Warriors survive second half Bucks surge

SAN FRANCISCO – When the Warriors traded for Jimmy Butler in February, they acquired a talent they believed was still capable of carrying a team with title aspirations to improbable wins. 

With Steph Curry on the sidelines in stylish street clothes, sitting out to rest, the Warriors needed Butler to do just that against Milwaukee at Chase Center on Tuesday night. 

The star wing delivered in Golden State’s 104-93 victory over the Bucks.

The 35-year-old Butler scored 24 points, dished out 10 assists and grabbed eight rebounds, asserting himself in the second half and helping stave off a Milwaukee team that had mounted a third-quarter rally from down 14 at halftime. 

The Warriors (40-29) shook off Monday’s disappointing loss to Denver and remained in sixth place in the West, while Milwaukee (38-30) fell to fifth in the East.

The day after Kerr deemed Curry “exhausted,” the superstar point guard sat out the second night of a back-to-back. 

That allowed other Warriors reserves – not just Butler – to have an expanded role in the offense. 

The Warriors jumped out to a 12-3 lead, with Quinten Post floating into space for a 3-pointer and later a dunk on two early possessions, looking plenty spry despite working through a gimpy right ankle. He scored 14 points, third among the Warriors. 

Brandin Podziemski, playing in his first game since March 6 and starting in Curry’s stead at point guard, made two high-arcing triples in a first quarter that saw the Warriors end it with a 32-27 lead. Podziemski finished the night with 17 points in 29 minutes. 

The defense was the real story of the first half though, one the Warriors led 58-44 by the time the second quarter buzzer sounded. 

Milwaukee’s dynamic duo of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Oakland High alum Damian Lillard were a combined 5-for-17 from the field in the first half. 

The Warriors rotated between Draymond Green, Butler and Jonathan Kuminga as Antetokounmpo’s primary defender to great effect. 

That defensive excellence did not carry over into the third quarter.

The Bucks began the quarter on a 16-4 run that saw team-high scorer Kyle Kuzma (22 points) drop in two 3s.

Kuminga was called for a flagrant foul on Gary Trent Jr. late in the period when he threw Gary Trent Jr. to the floor on a box out. 

The Warriors were suddenly in a game. 

With the Bucks up 76-75 with a second to play in the third quarter, Butler drew a foul on a 3-pointer from the wing. He buried all three free throws to give Golden State a slim lead going into the fourth.

From there, Butler and Golden State retook control of the game with five quick Butler points to open the fourth, but Milwaukee would not go away. 

The Bucks cut the lead to 96-93 with under four minutes remaining on two Antetokounmpo free throws, but a Podziemski 3-pointer, a Payton running layup, and another Podziemski triple padded the lead and secured the win for Golden State. 

Golden State finishes its seven-game homestand on Thursday against Toronto. Curry is expected to play.