Butler bullying his way to the line slows the game down and can take an opponent out of its rhythm. It allows the Warriors to play with a set defense more often, a key as they navigate that end of the floor without Andrew Wiggins — who was their best point-of-attack defender.

In a 132-111 win over the Chicago Bulls - the team that drafted Butler - Butler had 25 points, two rebounds, four assists, a steal and a block. Butler went seven-of-12 from the field and 11-of-13 from the charity stripe. Butler missed his lone three.

It took all of two games for Jimmy Butler to go from a team-killing pariah to a celebrated ceiling raiser in the eyes of the Warriors. All-Star Steph Curry, head coach Steve Kerr and young forward Jonathan Kuminga all offered some high praise to Golden State’s blockbuster trade acquisition after road wins on Saturday and Monday.