Jimmy Butler III was criticized by analyst and former NFL tight end Shannon Sharpe on his podcast for a puzzlingly quiet Game 4. The Golden State Warriors fell 117-110, putting the Minnesota Timberwolves within one win of the Western Conference Finals — and just one loss away from elimination for Golden State.
The Stephen Curry-less Warriors looked lost without their star due to his crushing injury. Without his leadership, generational shooting, and shot creation, the Warriors seemed entirely out of ideas. That’s not a knock on them, it’s just reality. Any team would struggle without a player of Curry’s caliber, especially Golden State, as he’s their identity and engine.
Still, it was surprising to see such an accomplished player — and all-time great playoff performer — like Butler struggle. That led to speculation about his effort and health.
Shannon Sharpe Rips Jimmy Butler III Without Stephen Curry
Butler finished with just 14 points on nine shot attempts, drawing ire from fans and media.
On Sharpe’s “Nightcap” podcast, he said, “Nine shot attempts isn’t nearly enough.” He added, “He wasn’t aggressive at all. He was coming to a jump stop and passing out of it… this effort tonight is unacceptable.”
No doubt the Warriors needed more from their co-star, whom they acquired to help ease the load on Curry, especially in the playoffs. To be fair to Butler, he’s still working back to full health after getting hurt in their first-round series against the Houston Rockets.
Sharpe’s co-host, Joe Johnson, replied: “He looked hobbled. He doesn’t look healthy.” He added, “Let’s be honest, they don’t have the firepower to be messin’ with Minnesota without Curry.”
Also, it’s worth noting that the Timberwolves game-planned to stop Golden State’s primary scorer. With a roster full of strong wing defenders, they did a masterful job forcing the ball out of Butler’s hands.
Johnson also noted that it’s hard to see the Warriors truly threatening the Timberwolves without Curry, even if Butler were at full strength. Meanwhile, Minnesota has Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle both playing in top form.
Still, Sharpe expected more and questioned the lack of aggression. ”
Who is he going to pass to?!” Sharpe asked, rhetorically citing Draymond Green and Brandin Podziemski as examples of limited scorers — essentially arguing that Butler had no excuse not to take more control.
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That also plays into Johnson’s point about the team’s shallow scoring depth. But being slightly hobbled doesn’t excuse passive play in the playoffs.
We’ve already seen that mentality from New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson, who returned from an ankle injury in Game 4 of the first round — after being unable to stand at one point — and dropped 15 points down the stretch to help beat the Detroit Pistons.
That’s the kind of leadership the Warriors needed from Butler. He didn’t deliver in Game 4, but he’ll have a chance to redeem himself in Game 5 as Golden State looks to avoid elimination on Wednesday, May 14. And if there’s one player never to count out in the playoffs, it’s Butler.
