Golden State Warriors Could Give OKC Thunder Trouble in Playoffs

The Golden State Warriors have been a tale of two teams in the 2024-25 regular season — with and without Jimmy Butler.

Since acquiring the former Miami Heat All-Star on Feb. 25, the Warriors improved from a 25-27 team to a 37-28 one holding onto the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference. In that stretch, Butler is putting up averages of 17.6 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game.

Though Butler isn't quite at the peak of his powers anymore, he's fit seamlessly alongside franchise cornerstones Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. Known as a player that consistently ups his performance in the playoffs, that combination could be a worry for opposing teams.

That includes the Oklahoma City Thunder, despite its 11-game lead in the West. It lost the season series to Golden State 2-1, and that was without ever seeing Butler on the opposite side of the court.

The dynamic of the Warriors has completely changed in a matter of a month, now placing their name alongside the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers as the top teams that could upset the Thunder in the playoffs. It wouldn't be the first time that Curry has given it trouble in that scenario, either.

That's not to diminish the strength of Oklahoma City, however. It's still a tier above the rest of the group in the West, continuing to have a historically great defensive unit and a likely MVP in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Despite a couple of losses here and there, it has kept up the same winning apce for the entriety of the year.

If the Thunder were to matchup with Golden State though, it could pose some danger. The pair of Curry and Butler has a wealth of playoff experience and NBA Finals credibility, while still performing as elite players well into their 30s.

Green is always going to be a tough defensive matchup, while Hield, Gary Payton II and Moses Moody are more than reliable role players. Luckily, Oklahoma City has the pieces more than anyone to counter that, filled with skilled players on both ends in the entirety of the rotation.

If the Warriors keep this up into the playoffs, they'll certainly be in the championship conversation. They're a team that the Thunder would need to perform at the highest level against, or its first championship could be in jeopardy.

Want to join the discussion? Like Thunder on SI on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Thunder news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.