The Golden State Warriors were able to pick up a massive 109-106 victory over the Houston Rockets in Game 4 of their opening round playoff series Monday night, capturing a 3-1 series lead in the process.
Golden State received contributions from their superstar mid-season trade acquisition Jimmy Butler, who gave the group 27 points, five rebounds, six assists and one block while battling through a pelvic contusion suffered in Game 2 of the series on Wednesday.
Along with Butler, the team also saw veteran shooting guard Buddy Hield make a few key defensive plays and timely late-game shots to help put Houston away down the stretch, as the 32-year-old three-point threat scored 15 points on the night and hit a crucial three-pointer with 3:32 remaining to give the Warriors a 102-101 lead.
Hield also displayed some heroics in the Warriors’ 104-93 Game 3 win at home on Saturday, when he put in 17 points and knocked down five shots from distance. In the post-game presser following that Game 3 victory, Hield made reference to a ‘Batman and Robin’ analogy that Butler previously used to describe he and Stephen Curry’s partnership on the court, with Hield inserting himself into the group as the team’s ‘Alfred’ due to Butler’s injury absence for the contest.
In Butler’s media availability after Game 4, he was made aware of Hield’s self-appointed role as ‘Alfred’ to Butler and Curry’s ‘Batman and Robin.’ Upon hearing of Hield’s inclusion, Butler gave media members a priceless reaction and vehement denial of his involvement.
“No, no, no!” Butler told reporters on Monday night, as shared by San Francisco radio station 104.5 FM KNBR via X.
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“Buddy is not in this! Buddy’s the Joker or something, he’s the evil man!”
Though Hield may believe he deserves a spot in Butler and Curry’s ‘Batman’ analogy, Butler swiftly rejected any notion that he belongs.
Since his arrival in Golden State via trade from the Miami Heat prior to the Feb. 6 trade deadline, Butler has not wasted any time building a rapport with some of the team’s most impactful players like Curry, Draymond Green, Brandin Podziemski and Hield, though he’s seemed to develop an especially close bond to the journey-man sharpshooter.
As Butler and Curry look to close out the series against the Rockets in Game 5 on Wednesday night, Hield may look to prove why he should bear recognition as ‘Alfred’ if he continues his recent stretch of impressive production.