Warriors storm back from 24 point deficit to crush Bulls 132-111

Welcome to the Curry-Butler era!

The Golden State Warriors won the first game of the newly acquired Jimmy Butler’s revenge tour, overcoming a 24-point deficit against his former team the Chicago Bulls to win 132-111 in Chicago.

The Warriors were led by Stephen Curry tallying up 36 points, 6 assists, and 5 rebounds. Butler supported him with a 25-point performance on a highly efficient 7-of-12 shooting from the field. Quinten Post chipped in 18 points in 20 minutes as a starter including knocking down four triples, while Brandin Podziemski and Buddy Hield scored 16 and 14 points respectively.

The Warriors went into the half down 69-55, getting crushed by a deluge of Bulls offense. Chicago had 15 fastbreak points after two quarters, and were shooting 54% from the field (11-of-21 from downtown). Meanwhile the Dubs were scuffling, shooting 42% from the field and looking disjointed in their first game after the trade break.

But then Curry took over in the third quarter behind a spirited team defense effort from the Dubs, as they flipped the contest on its head. His 24 points in the quarter spearheaded a 42-25 third quarter run that reminded me of the 3rd quarter Warriors of old who could sleepwalk through the first half before drowning their opponents in the third frame.

The Warriors wouldn’t let off the gas, and closed the game with stiff defense and Butler getting to the free throw line in ways we just haven’t seen Warriors do. The Dubs needed every bit of the 11 free throws he made to shift the momentum from getting blown out to turning the Bulls into victims.

Chicago isn’t a very good team (they are probably tanking for a draft pick at this point), but this was still a road game right on the heels of an emotional trade deadline. This is exactly the kind of game the Warriors have squandered all year: just enough fight to make it interesting, not enough cohesion/talent to pull it off. Now? They got the fight and talent coming together to blow the doors off an opponent when the moment calls for it. At least against the bums of the East!