A fiery Jimmy Butler didn’t hold back after the Golden State Warriors dropped their second straight road game — a deflating 114-109 loss to an injury-depleted Indiana Pacers squad that erased the momentum of their promising 4–1 start.
“We’ve got to get back to playing our roles to a T,” Butler said, per The Athletic. “Giving a damn whenever we turn it over. Giving a damn whenever our man scores. We guard as a team, we score as a team, everybody’s got to be on the same page. I think we’ve gotten away from that a little bit.”
The Warriors’ defensive lapses have become a growing concern for a team still viewed as one of the few remaining contenders in the Stephen Curry–led era.
Butler’s Frustration Boils Over Despite Solid Night
Butler delivered his usual all-around production — 20 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 blocks — but the Warriors were still outscored by six during his 35 minutes on the floor.
Every Warriors starter except Brandin Podziemski (+7) finished with a negative plus-minus. Curry, who posted 24 points, had the worst at minus-21. He shot just 34.8% (8-of-23) and turned the ball over five times for the second straight game — a troubling trend for a team already ranking 26th in the NBA in turnovers at 17.1 per game.
Curry Takes Full Blame: ‘You Just Look in the Mirror’
While Butler’s fiery comments lit up the locker room, Curry didn’t need the scolding to recognize his role in the team’s struggles.
“This is one of those games where you just look in the mirror,” Curry said. “There were parts of the game where I made it too hard on all of us — not getting organized, bad possessions, a little lack of energy. You give a team like that life.”
The two-time MVP admitted the Warriors must clean up their execution and discipline, particularly on the road.
“Even if you don’t have it physically at a 10 out of 10, you need to control a game with your mind,” Curry said. “Sometimes we just make things harder for no reason. You have to answer the call by watching film, understanding how the league is evolving, how fast teams are playing, and making the necessary adjustments.”
Kerr Frustrated as Warriors Face Brutal Schedule Ahead
Head coach Steve Kerr echoed Curry’s sentiment, warning that mental lapses could cost them valuable games in a loaded Western Conference.
“We know the West is loaded, and it feels like we just gave away two games,” Kerr said. “At the end of the season, it’s always one or two games that separate everything. We have to be sharper and be better.”
The Warriors’ next stretch will test their resilience. After a home game against the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday, they will embark on one of the most difficult stretches of their schedule — eight of nine games on the road — that could determine whether this veteran group needs roster changes before the Feb. 5 trade deadline.
“Nothing’s easy in the NBA,” Kerr said. “You have to find a way to execute when you’re not at your best — and we didn’t do that tonight.”
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