The Golden State Warriors, playing without Steph Curry (rest), leaned on newcomer Jimmy Butler to secure a 104-93 win over the Milwaukee Bucks. Butler finished just shy of a triple-double with 24 points, 8 rebounds, and 10 assists, improving the Warriors to 15-2 when he’s in the lineup.
Golden State built a 17-point lead in the first half before Milwaukee surged back in the third quarter with a 25-6 run to take a brief lead. Butler quickly answered, scoring the first five points of an 8-0 run to start the fourth, regaining control for the Warriors.
Five Warriors scored in double figures, including Brandin Podziemski, Buddy Hield, and Quinten Post, who knocked down four threes. Kyle Kuzma led the Bucks with 22 points and five triples.
With the win, Golden State remains sixth in the West, 0.5 games ahead of the Timberwolves and three back of the fifth-place Grizzlies. The Bucks, who have lost five of their last seven, slipped to fifth in the East, falling behind Indiana and now only narrowly ahead of Detroit.