Key Takeaways
- Jimmy Butler traded his courtside fits for a coach’s sweater and clipboard during the Warriors’ 138-87 win over the Pelicans, drawing up one simple play: “PASS TO STEPH.”
- Steve Kerr embraced Butler’s coaching cameo while Yaxel Lendeborg and De’Anthony Melton roasted him, but Stephen Curry approved: “That’s good coaching.”
- Curry scored 25 points and climbed to 16th on the NBA’s all-time scoring list as Golden State won its eighth straight game, with Butler targeting a January-to-February return from his torn right ACL.
Jimmy Butler may be sidelined with a torn ACL, but that didn't stop him from contributing to the Golden State Warriors' latest win.
The six-time NBA All-Star tried his hand at coaching during Golden State's 138-87 blowout win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday (Nov. 9), trading his usual flashy courtside outfits for a coaching-staff sweater.
According to reports, Butler visited the Warriors' equipment room before the game and requested one of the coaches' sweaters. He then spent the night carrying a clipboard and joining the coaching staff during timeouts.
His biggest contribution came in the third quarter when he drew up a simple play.
"PASS TO STEPH," Butler wrote on his clipboard.
Head coach Steve Kerr revealed that he had considered asking Butler to dress like a coach before tipoff, only to discover that the veteran forward had already come up with the idea.
"I turned to Khalid, I said, 'Did you tell him to do that?' and he goes, 'No.' It was, I guess, mental telepathy or something. We're on the same page on that. He was enjoying himself," Kerr said.
Kerr also joked about Butler's wardrobe choice.
"I thought he looked great, really good looking sweater... But I also realized he was mocking us, so it hurt a little bit."
While Kerr appreciated the effort, Butler's teammates weren't impressed with his coaching abilities.
Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg, who finished with 23 points, joked that Butler didn't teach him anything new.
"I didn't learn anything. All I learned was once you're on the court with Stephen Curry, give Stephen Curry the ball. That's all I learned. Bad coaching by him, man."
Lendeborg also called Butler out for failing to deliver on another promise.
"He said he was going to get a tech for us tonight. He didn't, so shame on him. But it's all good."
De'Anthony Melton wasn't much kinder.
"Man, nah, nah, nah, nah. He's got to go home. Next time he does something like that, he needs to go back home or do something else, because he's tripping."
Curry, however, approved of Butler's strategy.
"That's good coaching," he said.
Curry finished with 25 points in just over 20 minutes, helping Golden State secure its eighth straight victory. He also passed DeMar DeRozan for 16th on the NBA's all-time scoring list.
Butler continues to recover from the torn right ACL he suffered in January and is reportedly targeting a return between January and February.
