The Golden State Warriors edged the Houston Rockets 109-106 in Game 4 of their first-round playoff series, seizing a commanding 3-1 lead. Jimmy Butler, returning from a one-game injury absence, delivered a heroic 27-point performance, including clutch free throws in the final minute. His late-game poise helped Golden State withstand a furious Rockets rally.
Meanwhile, guard Buddy Hield, inserted into the starting lineup by coach Steve Kerr, provided a crucial spark. Hield brought defensive intensity early and knocked down timely shots, chipping in 15 points with a game-high +17 plus-minus in 30 minutes of action. The veteran sharpshooter’s two-way contribution was an X-factor in the game.
After the hard-fought win, Butler faced the media with a mix of seriousness and sarcasm. Despite Hield’s strong outing, Butler was humorously reluctant to heap praise on his teammate. During the postgame interview, Hield himself crashed the scene, wrapping an arm around Butler in a playful attempt to bask in the spotlight. Butler, cracking a smile, wriggled free and continued the interview with his trademark dry humor.
“I got my joy back,” Butler proclaimed, before telling Hield to go back to the locker room.
Then later, in his post-game press conference, pressed specifically about Hield’s performance, Butler didn’t want to name jis teammate by his name:
“I hate to give buddy a compliment, so I’m not going to, but No. 7 on our team really brought the defensive mentality tonight, made some big shots.”
“I hate to give buddy a compliment, so I’m not going to, but No. 7 on our team really brought the defensive mentality tonight, made some big shots.”
Jimmy Butler didn’t want to mention Buddy Hield by name 😭 pic.twitter.com/X60NnfgVhW
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) April 29, 2025
This lighthearted postgame banter is nothing new for Butler and Hield, who have developed a reputation as the Warriors’ best “frenemies.” Since Butler’s midseason arrival in Golden State, the All-Star forward and the sharpshooting guard have engaged in constant comic back-and-forth.
Their exchanges have become a running joke within the team. In one instance, Hield tried to compliment Butler’s all-around game by calling him a connector on the court. Butler wouldn’t let him live it down:
“Don’t listen to nothing Buddy says, ever – he can’t even spell connector,”
Butler joked, after making Hield attempt to spell the word in front of amused teammates. On another occasion, after Butler notched a triple-double, Hield seized the moment to mock his stat line.
“That fake a** triple-double you had today,” Hield hollered, drawing a grin from Butler.
Butler shot back that Hield doesn’t pass the ball enough to ever get a triple-double himself.
Even when Butler was sidelined in Game 3, he kept the shtick alive on social media – posting a tongue-in-cheek thank you to “Batman and team” for the win, pointedly “excluding Buddy” from his gratitude.
The Warriors’ broadcast crew even dubbed the duo “perfect frenemies”. Teammates have noted that the jovial atmosphere is a welcome addition to an otherwise intense locker room.
“He annoys Jimmy, that’s my favorite thing that he does,” guard Gary Payton II said of Hield’s constant needling.
Despite the humor, Butler and Hield’s focus on winning remains paramount. Butler’s seasoned leadership and Hield’s sharpshooting have both been critical to the Warriors’ postseason success so far.
“All the value just lies within winning as a whole,” Butler has said of the team’s mentality.
That ethos is evident even in his jesting: beneath the jokes about Hield, Butler acknowledged the veteran’s reliability and energy. As the Warriors head into a potential close-out Game 5, the Batman-and-Alfred dynamic between Butler and Hield has become a subplot to watch. If the Warriors continue to advance, expect this playful rivalry to keep running alongside their title aspirations – with Butler perhaps finally, grudgingly, giving Buddy Hield the credit he’s due (but not without a smile and a wink).
