The Golden State Warriors need Jimmy Butler at his best on Wednesday night. It's the only way to prolong their season, trailing 3-1 to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference semifinals. It's also the only way to potentially get Stephen Curry back on the court, with three days off before Sunday's potential Game 6.

The Golden State Warriors are one loss away from having their 2024-25 NBA season be over. The Minnesota Timberwolves have them on the ropes with a 3-1 series deficit. This matchup changed dramatically when Stephen Curry left Game 1 with a hamstring injury. At first things looked promising.

In nearly 1,000 possessions prior to the playoffs, Golden State had a plus-12.8 net rating when Butler was on the floor without Curry. In those same non-Curry minutes, Butler averaged 24.9 points and 7.6 assists per 75 possessions, with a 63.7 true shooting percentage.