The Game 4 matchup between the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets has been a testy affair all night, as both teams are pushing the bounds of physicality and aggressive play. When the fouls aren’t hitting hard, the words being exchanged are trying to exacerbate the blow.
This was clear during a confrontation between Warriors forward Jimmy Butler and Rockets forward Dillon Brooks. Butler delivered a very harsh criticism that the microphones picked up while trying to box Brooks out after a free throw.
“You a bum and a b*tch. You weak.”
“You a bum and a b*tch. You weak.”😳
– Jimmy Butler to Dillon Brooks
(h/t @Fullcourtpass )
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) April 29, 2025
Dillon Brooks is one of the league’s best at getting under opponents’ skins by playing aggressively, talking trash, and refusing to be intimidated. While these actions got him kicked out of the Memphis Grizzlies in 2022, those same qualities have helped the Rockets finish with a winning record in both of Brooks’ seasons after some of the worst years in franchise history.
Brooks put up 11 points and five rebounds through the first half, giving the Rockets some much-needed production as they hope to avoid falling to a 3-1 deficit. He’s averaging 14.0 points and 3.7 rebounds this season, and 13.3 points and 4.0 rebounds in the Playoffs.
Jimmy Butler is on a different planet of NBA stardom than Brooks, spending over a decade as the primary offensive and defensive option on Playoff teams, making two NBA Finals appearances as well. His winning touch instantly impacted the Warriors, and the team is currently favored to beat the Rockets despite being the No. 7 seed.
Butler averaged 17.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.9 assists with the Warriors before averaging 14.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.0 assists in an injury-interrupted postseason.
This matchup has been a physical one with plenty of clashes between players. Draymond Green is having a ball, picking up all different kinds of fouls that he can. He’s already received a personal, a technical, a flagrant, a shooting, and a loose ball foul in this game already. Outside of a transition take foul, Draymond is about to complete bingo in this physical matchup.
The Warriors are in control of this game with a six-point (71-65) lead with five minutes left in the third quarter.
