MINNEAPOLIS — The stage is set for a dramatic NBA Western Conference semifinal clash, and all eyes will be on Jimmy Butler as he returns to familiar ground at Target Center — but this time, as the difference-maker for the red-hot Golden State Warriors.
Butler, once the centerpiece of the Minnesota Timberwolves’ hopes, will face his former team in the playoffs for the first time since forcing a trade from the Miami Heat to the Warriors ahead of the February deadline. The veteran star has since transformed Golden State’s season, providing the stability, grit, and star power the team desperately needed.
When Butler made his Warriors debut on February 8 in Chicago, Golden State was floundering below the .500 mark and teetering on the edge of irrelevance. Since then, the seventh-seeded Warriors have turned their fortunes around with a 28-11 record, including a remarkable 26-8 mark when both Butler and Steph Curry are on the floor together.
“Jimmy turned us around completely,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said during a media video call on Monday. “We were below .500 when we got him, and we’ve been one of the best teams in the league ever since.”
Golden State’s resurgence reached a crescendo Sunday night when they stunned second-seeded Houston in a gritty seven-game first-round series. Now, they’re set to face the sixth-seeded Timberwolves in what promises to be an emotionally charged series opener on Tuesday night in Minneapolis.
Kerr didn’t hold back in his praise for Butler, calling him “a superstar” and highlighting his influence on the Warriors’ identity and performance.
“Jimmy has brought incredible confidence and stability to our team,” Kerr said. “He was a perfect fit because he never turns it over, and we have been a high-turnover team in the past. He’s a gamer. He loves to compete. He’s excited for the series.”
Butler’s arrival has done more than improve stats; it has elevated belief within the locker room. According to Kerr, Butler’s confidence has been contagious.
“He has incredible confidence that I think fuels the guys. They believe in him, and they also feel his belief in them. That’s really important,” Kerr added. “He’s one of the best isolation players in the league. In a playoff game when all else fails, you throw the ball to him and he gets you a good shot.”
Butler’s history with Minnesota adds an intriguing subplot. He was traded to the Timberwolves in 2017 by former coach Tom Thibodeau and played 69 games before a turbulent exit led to a trade to Philadelphia in 2018. Though years have passed, his return to Target Center in a high-stakes playoff matchup is bound to stir emotions.
Golden State may be the lower seed, but with Butler and Curry leading the charge, the Warriors now look like a team no one wants to face. As the series begins, the spotlight will shine brightest on Butler — back where it all began, but this time, wearing gold and chasing another title.
