The Golden State Warriors have had a fairly inconsistent but ultimately positive start to the NBA season, especially considering their difficult schedule, their heavy run of back-to-back games, the travel demands, and the high average age of their starting lineup. It has not been an easy stretch, and Jimmy Butler knows there are several areas the Warriors need to improve.
Butler did not mince words after the Warriors’ 127–123 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. Golden State blew an 11-point lead, got crushed on the glass, and surrendered 21 offensive rebounds. His assessment was blunt: the Warriors didn’t defend, and they didn’t compete.
“We just not guarding nobody. That’s from what I can tell. I haven’t been here long, but that’s never been the formula here. Not to win a championship,” Butler said. “You gotta take each and every matchup personal. Yeah, help’s gonna be there, but we gotta do way better guarding.”
He spelled out the problem clearly when asked about Portland grabbing 21 offensive boards. “It’s everything, cuz you’re not taking anything away. You’re not taking the paint away, you’re not taking away layups, free throws, lobs, threes, so we don’t know where they’re gonna get a shot from. But tonight they was getting whatever shot they wanted.”
Jimmy Butler III #10 of the Golden State Warriors.
The Warriors’ offensive-rebounding issues
The numbers backed him up. The Blazers won the rebounding battle 52–32 and punished the Warriors with 28 second-chance points. Every time Golden State came up with a strong defensive possession, someone in a Portland jersey capitalized on the miss.
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And it wasn’t just Butler who felt the impact of those recurring mistakes. Stephen Curry echoed the same concerns, even if in a calmer tone. “We played well enough to win, but have nothing to show for it. We couldn’t get a rebound. Just defensively together as a unit, didn’t do good enough.”
This has been the story of the Warriors’ season so far. They sit at 9–9 and have let multiple double-digit leads slip away. Their defense looks solid on paper — they rank tenth in the NBA — but their rebounding remains one of their biggest flaws.
