What we learned as Jimmy Butler’s return fuels Warriors’ road win vs. Bulls originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Maybe it was knowledge that they would have Monday and Tuesday to themselves, but the Warriors on Sunday delivered one of their zestiest performances of the 2025-26 NBA season.
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After an inspiring victory Saturday night in Cleveland, they floated into Chicago and cruised to a tip-to-buzzer 123-91 triumph over the Bulls at United Center. It was the first game this season where the Warriors led the entire contest.
The Warriors moved back above .500 (13-12) behind Jimmy Butler’s all-around play, with an efficient 19 points, eight rebounds, six assists and two steals.
Six other Warriors scored in double figures, led by Brandin Podziemski coming off the bench to put up a game-high 21 points. Quinten Post finished with 19, De’Anthony Melton had 13, Pat Spencer scored 12, with Moses Moody and Will Richard each totaling 11.
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The Warriors poured in 22 3-pointers, the third time this season they’ve drained 20 or more in a game. They dominated the glass, outrebounding Chicago 51-38, more than offsetting the 21 points they gave the Bulls off 17 turnovers.
The Warriors, whose 25 games are tied for the league high, return home with an opportunity to get healthy and reset. Their next game is Friday against the Minnesota Timberwolves, and that will the first of two games over a 10-day span.
Here are three observations from the finale of a three-game road swing through the Eastern Conference:
Jimmy Grabs His Cape
The Warriors maintained a double-digit lead from the final minutes of the first quarter, hiking the advantage as high as 24, before the Bulls rallied late, going on a 17-1 run to pull within eight (87-79) with 11: 24 remaining.
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There was no Stephen Curry to stop the onslaught. There was no Draymond Green to cool Chicago’s offense. There was no Al Horford, either. All three were out with injuries.
To whom would the Warriors turn to restore order? Butler.
Clearly sensing a threat, he reached for his cape, scoring eight of his points during a 16-2 run that closed the door and pave the way for Golden State to outscore the Bulls 36-12 over the final 11 minutes.
Butler did so much work, so quickly, that he managed to post a plus-16 in five fourth-quarter minutes before taking a richly deserved seat with the Warriors up by 27 with a 6:31 to play.
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Hello, Chicago!
After introducing themselves during the opening tip, the Warriors immediately made themselves at home inside the United Center, racing out to leads of 11-2, 23-10 and, by the end of the first quarter, 38-25.
Showing no ill effect from their late-night arrival from Cleveland, the Warriors made six of their first eight shots and nine of their first 12. They shot 68.2 percent in the quarter, including 61.5 from deep.
After losing the tip against Bulls big man Nikola Vučević, Post made three consecutive 3-pointers within the first five minutes to finish the quarter with nine points. Six different Warriors drained triples in the first 12 minutes.
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In another show of early energy, Golden State outrebounded the Bulls 12-6 in the quarter and limited them to 44-percent shooting from the field, including 30 percent from beyond the arc.
Latest Chapter In The Book Of Kuminga
Eleven different Warriors participated in one of Golden State’s most decisive wins this season, and none of them was Jonathan Kuminga.
One night after making his first start in 25 days in a win over the Cavaliers in Cleveland, Kuminga never left the bench in Chicago. He was not listed on the injury report, so this DNP-CD makes a curious statement.
Kuminga, inconsistent all season, didn’t exactly help his cause in Cleveland. Making his first start since returning last Tuesday after missing seven games with an ankle sprain, he grabbed seven rebounds but scored only four points on 1-of-10 shooting from the field, including 0 of 3 from distance.
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In the three games since his return, Kuminga is averaging 7.0 points per game, shooting 25 percent (8 of 32) from the field, including beyond the arc.
Though Kuminga won’t be trade eligible until Jan. 15, it will be very interesting to see how the Warriors manage him over the coming weeks.
