News Warriors Team Notes

[Golden State Warriors]

Stats Shows How Impressive Jimmy Butler Has Been With Warriors

(Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

When Jimmy Butler was traded to the Golden State Warriors in February, a lot of people wondered what the future would look like.

Would Butler’s joy of basketball return, and could he truly contribute to the team, or would they remain lacking?

It’s very clear that Butler is just what the Warriors needed.

According to NBACentral, they are now 20-2 when Butler and Steph Curry are in the lineup together.

This team looks radically transformed for the better and fans are eager to see what’s next.

The Warriors are now 20-2 when Jimmy Butler and Steph Curry are in the lineup together

pic.twitter.com/kqf1dyYxRI

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) April 5, 2025

The Warriors have been steadily climbing higher and higher in the standings and are now the fifth seed in the West.

If the playoffs started today, they would take on the Denver Nuggets.

It just so happens that they beat the Nuggets on Friday night, another notch in their belt and a sign of their resurgence.

This recent string of wins isn’t just because of Butler, of course, but he has added a key ingredient to the team.

He has always been a supremely smart player and has brought his intelligence to the court with Golden State.

He can read the floor well and is able to work expertly with his new teammates.

Other players, especially Curry, have made this impressive run possible, and they are showing no signs of slowing down.

The best part about this for Warriors fans is that Golden State is a talented and proven postseason team.

They are comfortable in the playoffs and know how to traverse them.

That means they could get even better when the first round kicks off in a few weeks.

Butler has brought something special to this team, but the entire squad is working better than it has in a very long time.

The post Stats Shows How Impressive Jimmy Butler Has Been With Warriors appeared first on The Cold Wire.

Source: https://www.thecoldwire.com/stats-shows-how-impressive-jimmy-butler-has-been-with-warriors/

 

[Golden State Warriors]

Stephen A. Smith Makes A Big Statement About Steve Kerr

(Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

The Golden State Warriors have been one of the most dominant teams of this generation and will go down in history as one of the strongest squads ever.

And while Steph Curry, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, and other players need credit, so does head coach Steve Kerr.

Speaking on “First Take,” Stephen A. Smith called Kerr “one of the greatest coaches in the history of basketball.”

Kerr has been a consistent and reliable part of the team’s culture and chemistry and has taken them to new heights multiple times.

.@stephenasmith calls Warriors coach Steve Kerr one of the "greatest coaches in the history of basketball." pic.twitter.com/dZzKAIxrIf

— First Take (@FirstTake) April 4, 2025

When Kerr came to the Warriors, they were a promising team, but nothing close to what they are now.

Through his leadership and strategy, they climbed to the top of the standings and won four championships.

There have been times when people have counted the Warriors out and thought they were past their prime.

But Kerr and his team have proven them wrong.

Their last championship came after a lot of people thought the Warriors would never win again because they were too old and the West was too crowded.

And this season is another example of them defying expectations.

The team was looking rough for some time, but they have been performing much better lately.

They have been surging and are the fifth seed in the Western Conference right now, meaning they will most certainly be part of the playoffs.

Can Kerr surprise everyone yet again and help his team claim another title?

No matter what happens, he has cemented himself in league history and will be respected for generations.

He already had a great career as a player, and now Kerr has proven he is one of the best to ever lead a team.

The post Stephen A. Smith Makes A Big Statement About Steve Kerr appeared first on The Cold Wire.

Source: https://www.thecoldwire.com/stephen-a-smith-makes-a-big-statement-about-steve-kerr/

 

[Golden State Warriors]

Steve Kerr Names The Best Center He’s Ever Seen

(Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)

The Golden State Warriors defeated the Denver Nuggets on Friday night, beating them 118-104.

This was a chance for NBA fans to witness two of the biggest stars on earth battle it out.

Following the game, head coach Steve Kerr was incredibly supportive of Nikola Jokic, who he said is a talent unlike any other.

“He’s the best center I’ve ever seen. I played against Kareem…Kareem couldn’t do all this stuff,” Kerr said, per Legion Hoops.

“He’s the best center I’ve ever seen. I played against Kareem… Kareem couldn’t do all this stuff.”

— Steve Kerr on Nikola Jokic

(via @NotoriousOHM) pic.twitter.com/Ul26sluyTk

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) April 5, 2025

On Friday, Jokic posted 33 points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists against the Warriors.

His team may not have won, but he put on another masterclass and showed he is the definition of versatility.

Kerr said that no one, not even Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, could do what Jokic does nightly.

He is likely referring to the fact that Jokic is a threat for so many reasons.

He is not just a powerful presence in the paint, he can also be a problem from the perimeter.

Additionally, one of the things that sets him apart from other centers in the league is his ability to pass.

His assist game is second-to-none, and some people consider him the best passer since Magic Johnson.

He creates dazzling passes and also produces his own fantastic buckets night after night.

Jokic has a season average of 29.8 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 10.2 assists, which is even more evidence of what a special player he is.

Kerr has witnessed and played with some of the greatest NBA stars of all time.

Therefore, when he makes this statement about Jokic, it should be taken seriously because he knows what he is talking about.

The post Steve Kerr Names The Best Center He’s Ever Seen appeared first on The Cold Wire.

Source: https://www.thecoldwire.com/steve-kerr-names-the-best-center-hes-ever-seen/

 

[Golden State Warriors]

Ime Udoka Gets Honest About His Exchange With Steph Curry

(Photo by Jack Gorman/Getty Images)

Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka has made it clear that he isn’t afraid of anyone in the NBA, including the biggest stars.

On Sunday, Udoka and Golden State Warriors icon Steph Curry had a verbal back-and-forth that was caught on camera.

Following the game, Udoka spoke with the press and touched upon the exchange.

“When people start complaining about foul calls or crying about physicality, you’ve done your job. That’s the first step in winning the battle. So I told my team, when this team starts crying about it, up the intensity, up the aggressiveness, and make the refs adjust to you,” he said, per NBACentral.

Ime Udoka speaks on his exchange with Steph Curry

“When people start complaining about foul calls or crying about physicality, you’ve done your job. That’s the first step in winning the battle. So I told my team, when this team starts crying about it, up the intensity, up the… pic.twitter.com/zWNQeUng36

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) April 7, 2025

We won’t ever know what was said between these two, but it sounds like Curry wasn’t happy with foul calls and the physicality of the game.

But Udoka loved what he saw from his team.

He has instructed the Rockets to be intense and aggressive all season long.

Like Udoka, the team loves to get into the heads of their opponents and get under their skin.

They’re also not afraid of roughing someone up and becoming physical.

This doesn’t just throw opponents off their game, it also sets the tempo the way that Houston wants it.

So it’s all part of Udoka’s grand plan, and that plan has been working marvelously.

The Rockets are the second seed in the Western Conference, holding a 52-27 record and ready for the playoffs to begin.

No one knows what the postseason will look but the Rockets are sure to bring their brand of intense and in-your-face basketball and that could be just what they need to go far.

The post Ime Udoka Gets Honest About His Exchange With Steph Curry appeared first on The Cold Wire.

Source: https://www.thecoldwire.com/ime-udoka-gets-honest-about-his-exchange-with-steph-curry/

 

[Golden State Warriors]

Steve Kerr Has Honest Admission About Draymond Green’s Legacy With Warriors

(Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)

The Golden State Warriors couldn’t get out of their own way on Sunday and were taken down by the Houston Rockets, earning their 32nd loss of the season.

Even though the team didn’t play the way they wanted to, head coach Steve Kerr was happy with the output he saw from his players.

Following the game, he gave special attention to Draymond Green, the team’s defensive juggernaut.

Kerr talked about Green’s passion and what it has brought to the Warriors.

“I love Draymond’s fire. There’s a reason we have four banners up there. We wouldn’t have any without Draymond… He was fighting out there. It just didn’t go our way,” Kerr said, via 95.7 The Game.

“I love Draymond’s fire. There’s a reason we have four banners up there. We wouldn’t have any without Draymond… He was fighting out there. It just didn’t go our way.”

Steve Kerr on Draymond pic.twitter.com/HAWTpKbnLu

— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) April 7, 2025

The “fire” that Kerr talked about has been Green’s biggest weapon, and his biggest liability too.

There is no doubt that he is one of the most passionate and driven players in the NBA.

This helps in multiple ways, as it allows him to be fierce on the floor and especially with his defense, and it also lets him lead his team and root for them.

He is a major part of the Warriors’ culture and chemistry, and several stars have said he’s the glue that holds the team together.

With that being said, this fire in Green has also led to him acting out on the court and facing numerous suspensions.

The fire is great, as long as Green can get a good hold on it.

This year he has and he has been playing terrific basketball and is a frontrunner for Defensive Player of the Year.

Win or lose, the Warriors can count on him to pour 100 percent of himself into the game.

The post Steve Kerr Has Honest Admission About Draymond Green’s Legacy With Warriors appeared first on The Cold Wire.

Source: https://www.thecoldwire.com/steve-k...n-about-draymond-greens-legacy-with-warriors/

 

[Golden State Warriors]

Betting Odds Show Dramatic Shift For NBA’s Defensive Player Of The Year Award

(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

When the 2024-25 NBA season began, most people thought Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs would win Defensive Player of the Year.

He was definitely on track to claim that prize until he was pulled from the court due to a medical issue, leaving the path to DPOY wide open.

The race for the trophy continues but there is now a clear frontrunner to win it: Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors.

According to BetUS, per Legion Hoops, Green’s rise to become the favorite for DPOY is astonishing.

At the start of the season, he had +6000 odds, and they were +12500 in January.

When Wembanyama got hurt, his odds changed to +3500, then +5000.

On March 23, they were -110 and now they are -450.

Draymond Green’s rise to Defensive Player of the Year favorite is something I’ve never seen before

This is insane. (@BetUS_Official) pic.twitter.com/HW7WcJYFu5

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) April 7, 2025

At this point, it looks like the prize is Green’s to win.

He has steadily climbed in the betting markets and has remained consistent on the court.

His case has been helped by the fact that the Warriors have gotten better over the last few months, which has gained them more attention.

People have been watching the Warriors closely, and they have seen that Green is still one of the most intense and intimidating defensive players in the league.

For the season, he is averaging 9.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 5.7 assists.

Green won Defensive Player of the Year in 2016-17 and has been vocal about his desire to claim it again.

Unless something wild and unexpected happens, it looks like he will get his wish in a few weeks.

The loss of Wembanyama definitely hurt the NBA, but it has really helped Green’s chances of earning another DPOY trophy and reasserting his dominance.

The post Betting Odds Show Dramatic Shift For NBA’s Defensive Player Of The Year Award appeared first on The Cold Wire.

Source: https://www.thecoldwire.com/betting...-for-nbas-defensive-player-of-the-year-award/