Butler’s first season with the Warriors came to a disappointing conclusion. They were one of the best teams after acquiring Butler and won Game 1 of the second round. Unfortunately, a Stephen Curry hamstring injury ended their championship hopes, though Curry may have been able to return for Game 6 if the series was still going. Butler will be 36 at the start of next season, and he will likely continue to put an emphasis on rest during the regular season to make sure he’s healthy to help Golden State make another playoff push next year.

Despite the Warriors win in Game 1, Butler warned in postgame interviews that Stephen Curry is the team’s best player and it was going to be difficult to win games without him. After what’s transpired over the last three games, which the Warriors have all lost, he might’ve been underselling it. Butler wasn’t able to fill Curry’s shoes in Game 4. In fact, he was a team-worst minus-30 in 34 minutes in the seven-point loss. The Warriors will have their backs against the wall facing elimination in Game 5 on Wednesday.

It was a vintage performance from Playoff Jimmy. Unfortunately for the Warriors, things didn’t quite go their way down the stretch. A 9-0 Timberwolves run with about five minutes left in the fourth quarter overlapped with a sequence where Draymond Green picked up two fouls in less than 20 seconds and fouled out of the game. Butler’s 33 points were enough to keep the Warriors in it until late even without Steph Curry (hamstring). Golden State will have to find a way to win one of the next two games before Curry could potentially return in Game 6.

Butler couldn’t get it done without Stephen Curry (hamstring) on the road in Game 2. The Warriors fell behind by double-digits early and never recovered. Butler had 17 points on 13 shots, which wasn’t far off from the 20 points he had in Game 1. Still, the Warriors have to regroup as they head home for Games 3 and 4 as they try to figure out a way to keep this series close until Curry can return to the court.