Jimmy Butler made a dramatic return to the lineup and delivered in crunch time, lifting the Golden State Warriors to a gritty 109-106 win over the Houston Rockets on Monday night in Game 4. Butler, playing through a painful pelvic contusion and gluteal muscle bruise, poured in 27 points, including five clutch free throws in the final minute, while also securing the game-sealing rebound with four seconds left.
His poise under pressure helped Golden State take a commanding 3-1 series lead as they head to Houston for Game 5. The Warriors overcame a 31-point, 10-rebound performance from Alperen Sengun and 25 points from Fred VanVleet, who missed a contested three-pointer at the buzzer that would have forced overtime.
Brandin Podziemski stepped up with a playoff-career-high 26 points, and Buddy Hield, inserted into the starting lineup, added 15, including a huge go-ahead triple with 3:32 remaining. Stephen Curry, while not at his sharpest, still contributed 17 points in a game full of emotional swings and escalating physicality.
Tensions boiled over in the second quarter, where four technicals and a flagrant foul highlighted the growing hostility between these teams. Draymond Green and Dillon Brooks were again at the center of the chaos, with Curry even drawing a technical for taunting.
Yet amid the mayhem, the Warriors leaned on experience and composure, riding Butler’s return and late-game execution to put the No. 2 seed Rockets on the ropes. Let’s provide a rating for every Warriors player after an exciting Monday night game.
Jimmy Butler III: A
Stats: 27 PTS, 5 REB (1 OREB, 4 DREB), 6 AST, 0 STL, 1 BLK, 0 TO, 3 PF, 7-12 FG, 1-2 3PT, 12-12 FT, +2, 40 MIN
Playing through pain, Butler returned with trademark toughness and delivered in the clutch. His 27 points came on ultra-efficient shooting, and he was perfect from the free-throw line, including five in the final minute. Butler’s calm under pressure, smart decision-making, and game-sealing rebound cemented his status as the Warriors’ closer and emotional leader.
Brandin Podziemski: A
Stats: 26 PTS, 5 REB (4 OREB, 1 DREB), 5 AST, 2 STL, 1 BLK, 2 TO, 1 PF, 9-18 FG, 6-11 3PT, 2-3 FT, +7, 40 MIN
Podziemski played like a seasoned playoff vet, not a youngster, erupting for a playoff career-high 26 points. He was fearless shooting the three (6-for-11), crashed the glass with four offensive boards, and filled in the gaps with timely assists and steals. On a night when Golden State needed secondary scoring, he delivered in spades.
Quinten Post: B-
Stats: 13 PTS, 4 REB (1 OREB, 3 DREB), 3 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 1 TO, 1 PF, 4-11 FG, 2-7 3PT, 3-4 FT, -10, 20 MIN
Post struggled with his efficiency, going 4-for-11 and hitting just two of seven threes. Still, he showed flashes as a stretch big and didn’t force much. His minus-10 in 20 minutes hints at his defensive limitations, but he provided just enough spacing to keep the Rockets honest.
Stephen Curry: B-
Stats: 17 PTS, 3 REB (0 OREB, 3 DREB), 3 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 4 TO, 2 PF, 6-13 FG, 2-8 3PT, 3-3 FT, +12, 39 MIN
Curry wasn’t at his sharpest, turning the ball over four times and missing six of eight from deep. But he made timely buckets and stayed composed during a chaotic game. His leadership was felt more than his stat line suggested, and his +12 plus-minus indicates his presence still tilts the floor.
Buddy Hield: B-
Stats: 15 PTS, 4 REB (1 OREB, 3 DREB), 3 AST, 2 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 3 PF, 6-15 FG, 3-9 3PT, 0-0 FT, +17, 30 MIN
Inserted into the starting lineup, Hield gave Golden State a scoring jolt with 15 points, including a pivotal go-ahead three in crunch time. His shot selection wavered at times (6-of-15 overall), but he played clean and stayed aggressive without turning the ball over. Defensively, he held up better than expected.
Draymond Green: C+
Stats: 6 PTS, 8 REB (1 OREB, 7 DREB), 2 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 1 TO, 5 PF, 2-7 FG, 2-5 3PT, 0-0 FT, +17, 31 MIN
Green was his usual antagonistic self, picking up fouls and jawing with Dillon Brooks, but his impact was uneven. He hit two threes and grabbed eight boards, yet his playmaking was subdued with just two assists. Still, his +17 plus-minus shows his presence helped organize a defense that needed poise.
Gary Payton II: C+
Stats: 2 PTS, 3 REB (1 OREB, 2 DREB), 4 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 2 PF, 1-3 FG, 0-0 3PT, 0-0 FT, -13, 16 MIN
Payton gave a steady, hustle-driven 16 minutes off the bench. He dished four assists, grabbed three boards, and played physical defense. Though he didn’t score much, his effort and ball movement provided valuable rotation minutes.
Moses Moody: C
Stats: 3 PTS, 1 REB (0 OREB, 1 DREB), 1 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 0 PF, 1-6 FG, 1-4 3PT, 0-0 FT, -8, 12 MIN
Moody struggled to find rhythm offensively, hitting just one of six shots. He did contribute a steal and an assist, but his offensive inefficiency made his 12 minutes largely forgettable. He’ll need to rediscover his shooting touch to remain in the rotation.
Kevon Looney: N/A
Stats: 0 PTS, 1 REB (0 OREB, 1 DREB), 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 3 PF, 0-0 FG, 0-0 3PT, 0-0 FT, -5, 5 MIN
Looney played only five minutes and didn’t register a shot attempt or stat beyond a rebound and three fouls. He wasn’t able to leave a mark on the game in his limited role.
Trayce Jackson-Davis: N/A
Stats: 0 PTS, 0 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 2 PF, 0-1 FG, 0-0 3PT, 0-0 FT, -3, 6 MIN
Jackson-Davis was quiet in his six minutes, missing his only shot and failing to record any other stat besides two fouls. He was mostly a placeholder in a physical, high-leverage game.
Gui Santos: N/A
Stats: 0 PTS, 0 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 0 PF, 0-0 FG, 0-0 3PT, 0-0 FT, -1, 1 MIN
Santos logged a single minute at the end and didn’t factor into the game’s outcome.
