GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS MEDIA CONFERENCE

April 15, 2025

Jimmy Butler

Media Conference

Golden State Warriors 121, Memphis Grizzlies 116

Q. Sounds like you guys knew that Edey would guard you, but did it surprise you that not only was he guarding you but giving you a lot of room?

JIMMY BUTLER: Nope, we talked about it. It's always play basketball the right way, shoot the ball when you're open, attack, get into the paint, get to the free throw line. And pass it to the open guy. So no matter who is guarding me, I'm always going to play the exact same way.

Q. Did you figure that scheme would lead to you getting to the rim a lot and scoring as much as you did?

JIMMY BUTLER: Yes and no. I feel like I have the opportunity here to pick my spots incredibly well, and they are always looking to get me the ball in my spots where I can be aggressive and put the ball in the basket or make the right play for the next individual.

So we ran a couple sets for me to do that, and then Steph did all the other stuff.

Q. How did you decide, early you took a couple threes when they were way off, and you started going to the rim regardless. How do you decide when to keep shooting the threes or power through?

JIMMY BUTLER: I can shoot. I just choose not to shoot threes. I'd rather drive into the paint. Get me a layup, a midi, or pass the ball to somebody that's probably a much better shooter than I am. I think probably you and everybody else want me to shoot more threes but I like shooting some layups.

Q. Throughout the season, you said that you will take what the defense is giving you. In terms of shooting and being aggressive offensively, you've had 20 attempts in each of the last two games. What have you seen on the floor that has warranted that?

JIMMY BUTLER: That may need me to score a little bit more right now but that my change when we play Sunday, something like that. If I can get 17 assists and we win, that's great. If I can get ten steals or two steals and we win, that's great.

But I think me scoring a little bit more has definitely helped us a little bit.

Q. What personally bothers you more, turnovers or missed free throws?

JIMMY BUTLER: Turnovers. I hate turning the ball over. Free throws; but turnovers really irk me.

Q. What do you think you can take from this game, especially going against somebody like Edey, compared to going against Houston with their defense and someone like an Amen Thompson?

JIMMY BUTLER: Not much. You know, we'll go back to the drawing board and see how I can be effective on the offensive side of the ball. But I really believe I can score with the best of them. I don't care who I'm lined up against.

Q. Before you got here, the conversations was get Steph to play meaningful basketball. He wants to play meaningful basketball. And you've certainly underlined that ever since you've been here. Is there satisfaction? Obviously you have games to play, but to get Steph and to get this team back into a meaningful position again what does that feel like?

JIMMY BUTLER: Feels great. I want everybody to be happy, for sure Steph, he deserves it, what he's done for, hell, the game of basketball, not only this city and this organization. He's in it for the long haul. He wants to win, every single game, every single possession. And I know I want to win a championship. So he needs his -- what, this will be No. 5 for him? So he needs one more.

Q. Could you sense that from him today?

JIMMY BUTLER: Yeah. Every game for me, though, he's always -- it's like I always say, you never are really out of any game when you have him on your team and if you have a lead of five, he can easily take your lead to 15 to 17, maybe even 20 all by himself. I'm glad that he was on my team.

Q. You were not just guarded by Edey and Jackson, all the big guys; you also had to guard them. How much do you enjoy going up against the big dudes down the paint?

JIMMY BUTLER: Not a lot. That's Draymond's job. That's the Defensive Player of the Year. I'm not the Defensive Player of the Year. Draymond needs to be able to guard the five, the four, the three, the two, and the one. I just need to be able to guard, like, twos and threes.

Q. You've obviously played in the league a long time. Have you ever seen anybody like Gary Payton II? Steve described him as a power forward on offense is the 6-2 and a point guard on defense. What kind of difference did he make tonight and can he make going forward?

JIMMY BUTLER: He's going to be a reason that we win a couple games in the playoffs.

But what I love most about GP is he makes sure everybody's calm. You know, he let's everybody know, yeah, we going to be just fine, we just got to get a stop, get a bucket, we got to execute. He'll take and make some big shots and for sure get a big-time dunk and get the crowd into the game, and then guard whoever you ask him to guard.

But more than anything, he's poised, he's calm, and it's like he's been in this league 15, 16 years.

Q. It's no secret what these next few days mean for you guys. What does the next four days look like for you until Sunday?

JIMMY BUTLER: Rest and recovery. A lot of free throws. A lot of free throws. A lot of dominos and coffee. A lot of dominos, coffee, and free throws.

Q. You had obviously a lot of drama this season. This team, the Warriors didn't think they would be in the playoffs, and you didn't know if you would be in the playoffs. Now that -- you didn't?

JIMMY BUTLER: I did.

Q. You knew?

JIMMY BUTLER: Yeah.

Q. Well, just now that it's happened, what's the moment like for you? Is it different than other teams?

JIMMY BUTLER: For sure. Whenever I talk to Steph and Dray and Steve and Mike before I even got here, I was telling them, I can help. Now, I don't know in what manner that I can help, but we're going to make the playoffs.

I feel like I can give any team, for sure this one, a chance to win, and they believe it. I believe it. And that's all that you can ask for. Now we've just got to go out there, execute, play our tails off, and win some more basketball games.

Q. To follow on Draymond for a second, he's been centering lineups here for a really long time. What are nuances you've noticed that make him so effective?

JIMMY BUTLER: That he be knowing everything on both sides of the ball. But specifically on defense, he'll switch a matchup quick so he can get a switch and get back to the person he's supposed to be guarding.

He's calling out plays, you know what I mean, depending upon where somebody is on the floor. Helps me a ton. But not only does he help me, he helps everybody. He's always in the right position. He's always probably out of position a lot of times because we're not doing our job, and he's trying to cover up for everybody.

And I don't care what anybody said. If that's not the Defensive Player of the Year for you, I don't know what to tell you who is.

Q. You had a stretch in the first quarter where four straight possessions -- well, you had a three-point play and 3-point shot yourself and hit Quinten for a three and assisted on Gary's dunk. And then also in the third, midway through, you had a steal and a dunk that they were on a bit of a roll. Do you sense when you can sort of alter momentum in a game or when you do something or have a sequence like that where it really changes things?

JIMMY BUTLER: I really don't be paying attention to it. On the offensive side of the ball, I think it's deflating whenever I hit a three because everybody think that I can't shoot. Love it. Keep backing off.

On the defensive side of the ball, I probably get in trouble more often than not because I'm a gambling man, and I'm going to go for the steal ten out of ten times. I know if I get it, I'm going to get a layup or I get to get somebody else a layup or an open three. I don't feel the shift or anything like that, but it feels good to score.

Q. That loss to the Rockets recently was one of the collective worst games in the stretch. What do you remember from that game that did and didn't work?

JIMMY BUTLER: Turnovers. Turnovers the ball over a lot. Can't win whenever they get so many more possessions than we do. We take care of the ball, we'll be in a good spot.

Q. What about their team construction is difficult to score against?

JIMMY BUTLER: I think if we worry about us, we'll be just fine.

Q. You let out a few screams after scoring, getting fouled. At one point you shouted --

JIMMY BUTLER: You want me to tell you what I said?

Q. Yes.

JIMMY BUTLER: Nah, they going to fine me.

Q. What were you feeling in those moments?

JIMMY BUTLER: It's winning time. Out of anything else, my squad needed me to help win, do whatever it took and we did that as a collective unit. I did a little bit. Steph did majority of it. Draymond guarded everybody. And everybody else hit some big shots. Made some big plays. Team really has a chance, and we going to run with that.

Q. As someone who is used to making long runs in the playoffs, and you guys have had to make this run just to get to the playoffs, how do you feel about this group and what you guys are capable of doing?

JIMMY BUTLER: Hell, I think any team has a chance when I'm on the team, but I know that every team has a chance if Steph is on the team.

So I get to play Robin; that's my Batman, and I don't know who else is -- we got all the villains over there, Two-Face and Joker and Riddler and everybody else in the Western Conference. But we got a lot of games to win.