San Francisco -Stephen Curry exploded tonight, scoring 30 points in the Warriors 126-102 victory over the Dallas Mavericks. The night was also a celebration for former teammate Andre Iguodala, who had his jersey retired at Chase Center after the game.
It was a strong start to the Warriors two-game homestand to close out the month. They have now won four of their last five games at Chase Center and five of their last six overall, including three straight victories, their first three-game winning streak since November.
“Yeah, you can tell our fans see the difference,” said Steve Kerr on Jimmy Butler’s debut. “They feel the momentum just like we do. It was an important shift. The trade itself, I think I mentioned this after the Sacramento game, we needed it. We felt it, you know, we were kind of treading water. We couldn’t get any traction in the season, and Mike (Dunleavy) sensed it and made the move, and you can feel the shift. It just so happened that one of the best players in the league was available, and that doesn’t happen very often. It was a move that made sense, and so far, it’s showing why.”
The addition of Butler has been even more impactful than expected. Since his arrival, the Warriors have gone 5-1, with Butler proving to be a force on both ends of the court. Beyond his offensive contributions, he has been a defensive powerhouse and a key presence in the paint, an area the team has struggled with outside of their big men at center.
Butler made his home debut as a Warrior in this game, but his performance was somewhat overshadowed by Iguodala’s jersey retirement celebration. While he didn’t have the opportunity to speak with the media afterward, fans can rest assured he’s here to stay. Butler finished with 18 points and five assists, continuing to solidify his role in the team’s recent success.
“I like what he does to our offense,” Kevon Looney said on Butler’s presence. “It just feels more solid. Just having that threat, he calls a lot of attention. Yeah, so just being out there, finding cutting lanes, open shots are all available, so I guess he’s been having a big effect on making that happen.”
The Warriors have won four of their last five games at Chase Center and won five of the team’s last six games overall, including the last three consecutively, marking the team’s first three-game winning streak since November.
Curry got off to a hot start, scoring 10 points in the first quarter, then added 16 points in the third quarter. Curry posted his 13th game of 30 or more points this season and has accomplished the feat five times in his last eight games. Moses Moody has now scored in double figures in 15 of his last 17 games. The Warriors improved to 9-0 in games he is in the starting lineup.
Brandin Podziemski grabbed a career-high 13 rebounds (prev. 11, 12/5/24 vs. HOU) en route to his first double-double of the season (eight career). He has now scored 10 or more points 23 times this season.
“There’s a connection there, obviously, he (Butler) played at Marquette, which is in Milwaukee, and me being from there, we’re just kind of familiar with areas and just give each other a hard time,” said Podziemski. “I think it’s just been great both on and off the floor with me and Jimmy.”
UP NEXT: The Warriors host the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday, February 25 (7 p.m. PST).
Photo by GSW/X
