Jimmy Butler gave Golden State Warriors fans their first taste of “Playoff Jimmy” on Sunday night as he helped lead his team to a pivotal 95-85 road victory against the Houston Rockets in Game 1.
Butler made franchise history with his incredible stat line, and he is now just the fourth Warriors player to ever record at least 25 points, five rebounds, five assists and five steals in a playoff game since the 1973-74 season.
Butler joins Rick Barry, Tim Hardaway and Steph Curry as the only other players to achieve this feat, and the fact that Butler did it in his first postseason game in a Warriors uniform speaks volumes.
Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler (10).
© Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
Butler took to social media on Monday to send a two-word message after Golden State’s big win.
“that’s one,” he wrote, sharing a handful of photos and a video clip from what turned out to be a memorable Warriors postseason debut.
As Butler indicated in his post, the most important thing is that the Warriors are now 1-0 up in the series. They now have to win three more games to advance to the next round, and it’s huge that they play two of the next three contests at home at Chase Center.
Butler was quite a revelation for the Warriors in the regular season following his blockbuster trade from the Miami Heat. Based on his performance in Game 1, it appears that the 35-year-old is primed to take it to another level in the postseason.