Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry warms up before playing Houston Rockets during NBA Playoffs’ First Round Game 4 at Chase Center in San Francisco on Monday, April 28, 2025.
Scott Strazzante/S.F. Chronicle
The Golden State Warriors played the Houston Rockets with their dynamic duo intact Monday night.
After missing Golden State’s victory Saturday in Game 3 of its first-round playoff matchup with a pelvic and deep glute contusion, Jimmy Butler returned to its starting lineup with Stephen Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Buddy Hield and Draymond Green.
Butler sustained the injury Wednesday, crashing on the court atop a Game 2 loss when he was undercut by Houston’s Amen Thompson while securing a defensive rebound in the lane.
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Questionable to play Saturday, he participated Monday in Golden State’s walkthrough at shootaround. Speaking pregame, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said Butler wouldn’t be subject to a minutes restriction.
“It will just be based on how he’s feeling,” Kerr said.
Butler had 25 points, seven rebounds, six assists and five steals a week ago Sunday in Golden State’s 10-point Game 1 win, totaling eight minutes Wednesday before departing gingerly after his first-quarter fall. Golden State went on to lose Game 2 before winning Game 3 behind 36 points, seven rebounds and nine assists from Curry.
Hield replaced Moody, the incumbent starting small-ball swingman – though he came off the bench Saturday as Quinten Post and Jonathan Kuminga started sans Butler – after scoring 17 and making five triples in Golden State’s Game 3 win.
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A starter 22 times this season and a first-time playoff starter, Hield hadn’t started since Feb. 12 as Moody started Golden State’s last 22 regular-season games – along with its first two playoff games.
The Warriors have started three unique lineups in four games in their series with Houston.
Another Curry award: Curry is the NBA’s best teammate.
The Warriors guard was voted as the Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year, honoring “the player deemed the best teammate based on selfless play, on- and off-court leadership as a mentor and role model to other NBA players, and commitment and dedication to team,” the league announced Monday.
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A panel of NBA executives picked six players from each conference as finalists for the Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year. NBA players chose the winter from the group of a dozen finalists.
Previous winners include Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley, Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday and Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard.
Curry has long been the Warriors’ leader and one of the best teammates in the NBA.
“What makes Steph unique is just his blend of humility and humor and confidence,” Kerr said pregame. “He just sets a great tone every day. Loves practice. Loves the work. So, you come in and the vibe is where it should be – day after day after day, because of Steph.”
Curry was presented his crystal trophy by Kerr during Golden State’s shootaround Monday morning, according to the team’s X account – to which a video of the presentation was posted. Warriors assistant Terry Stotts told Curry about Jack Twyman and Maurice Stokes, former teammates for the Cincinnati Royals for which the award – inaugurated in 2012 – was named.
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Stokes fell unconscious when he hit his head on the court in the 1957-58 regular-season finale. He suffered a seizure a few days later and was permanently paralyzed. Twyman became his legal guardian and caretaker, caring for Stokes until he died in 1970 at the age of 36.
Twyman and Stokes are Naismith Basketball Memorial Hall of Fame enshrines.
“Wikipedia those two guys,” Stotts told Curry. “I will definitely do that,” Curry responded.
