Jimmy Butler wasn’t going to let the Golden State Warriors lose.
More than anything, that’s what his season-opening stat line against the Los Angeles Lakers shows the NBA world.
And one stat in particular: Butler was 16-for-16 on free throws.
Not only did he get to the line enough to attempt 16 free throws.
He was also locked in enough to make all 16 of those foul shots.
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That was just part of a special night for Butler. He finished with 31 points.
Those 31 points are a career-high for Butler when it comes to points scored specifically in a season opener, according to StatMuse.
It was the kind of night that had social media going off about the Butler trade that had brought him to Golden State in the first place from the Miami Heat.
Butler didn’t go out in great favor from Miami, essentially forcing his way out of town.
Golden State took a chance when it acquired Butler. There was no guarantee he’d have his head in the right place to contribute to the Warriors.
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Clearly, though, Butler likes the idea of chasing a title.
The Warriors have been there before and want to get back. Butler wants a chance to actually get a ring.
Together, they might just be able to accomplish that. Especially if Butler is a foul-line maestro every game the way he was on this night.
