More often than not, a shift in team mentality is what leads to dramatic comeback victories.

Saturday was no exception as the Warriors overcame a 24-point gap in the third quarter, securing a 132-111 win against the Chicago Bulls at United Center.

Jimmy Butler, who contributed 25 points and four assists in his first game for the Warriors, shed light on the team’s successful second-half approach.

“Get some stops,” Butler told NBC Sports Bay Area’s Bonta Hill, Chris Mullin and Festus Ezeli on “Warriors Postgame Live.”

“We all know whenever we can guard, get into the open floor [that] we’re definitely going to score enough points. We’re going to make enough shots. We just got to guard without fouling.”

Trailing 83-59 with just over eight minutes left in the third quarter against Chicago, the Warriors were in desperate need of solutions on both offense and defense.

Jimmy Butler, alongside Draymond Green, spearheaded the defensive effort, while Steph Curry delivered an unforgettable performance, scoring 22 points in the last eight-plus minutes of the quarter.

The 36-year-old guard ended the game with 34 points, shooting 10-of-19 from the field and 8-of-16 from three-point range. The Warriors outscored the Bulls 73-28 in the final 20-plus minutes of play.

Butler, who started for Golden State without any minute restrictions, brought a fresh level of energy to coach Steve Kerr’s strategies.

Although it’s just one game, the mindset displayed on Saturday suggests that the Warriors could become a formidable and resilient team.

What Are Jimmy Butler and Steph Curry Saying About First Win After Trade?

The Golden State Warriors seized the moment at the NBA trade deadline, making a decisive move by acquiring Jimmy Butler to boost their immediate chances.

Butler showcased his skills in his debut for the Warriors on Saturday night, contributing 25 points with an impressive shooting performance, hitting 7 of 12 shots and 11 of 13 from the free-throw line.

The Warriors rallied from being down by 14 at halftime to defeat the Chicago Bulls 132-111. Stephen Curry, playing alongside his new teammate Butler for the first time, excelled, tallying 34 points, four rebounds, and six assists, including eight successful three-pointers.

“He’s like the exact opposite player of me which is kind of funny. I shot 16 three’s, he shot 1, he got to the line a lot, he’s dominating the paint, I’m dominating the outside, guys working around us, it has the potential to be really fun.” Curry said in the post-game press conference of Butler.. And Jimmy saw it the same way.

“They say opposites attract in life. I don’t think I could be a better complement to him and vice versa. They’re (the defense) not leaving him ever, probably two people. There’s so much space with everyone else, I get the easy job. It’s so great playing with someone like that.” Butler said in response to his new running-mate’s comments.

“You talk about killer. You talk about a lion that’s going for the kill every time. That’s who he is. I’m ready to be his teammate and ride along side him.” Butler told reporters.

The lion analogy wasn’t just about Butler. After the game, when head coach Steve Kerr was questioned about Butler, he responded with an answer that felt strikingly familiar.

“He’s a lion out there. He’s a force.” Kerr said.

Kerr continued, “It’s the swagger that he gives us. He gives confidence to the rest of the group including Steph and Draymond (Green) and that’s important.”

The combination of Butler, Curry, Green, and Kerr is set to steer the Warriors’ performance for the rest of the season. Saturday’s victory pushed the Warriors’ record back to an even .500 at 26-26. Currently on a seven-game road trip, they have four games left to play. Their next matchup is against the Milwaukee Bucks in Milwaukee on Monday.

On Thursday, the Celtics added their first non-draft player to their title-winning team by signing free agent forward Torrey Craig.

Craig, an experienced NBA player, is set to add a fresh dynamic to the latter part of Boston’s bench, which previously consisted mainly of younger, less seasoned players. The 6-foot-5 forward announced on his Instagram story that he will don jersey number 12 for the Celtics.

What might the Celtics gain from this signing after the trade deadline? Here’s an examination of Craig’s background:

Experience

Torrey Craig, now 34, is entering his eighth season in the NBA, and Boston marks his sixth team, excluding his earlier stints in Australia and New Zealand. Since his NBA debut with Denver in 2017, he’s played in 441 games, starting 168, across teams including Milwaukee, Phoenix, Indiana, and Chicago.

Craig has substantial playoff experience, with 75 games under his belt, his most recent participation being with the Suns in 2023. He was also on the Phoenix team that made it to the NBA Finals in 2020-21. He was waived by the Bulls just this Monday.

This contrasts significantly with Boston’s other bench players — second-year pro Jordan Walsh, rookie Baylor Scheierman, two-way player Drew Peterson, and the recently traded Jaden Springer — who have yet to prove they’re ready for consistent NBA action. Craig should provide a dependable wing option behind stars Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Sam Hauser, particularly on nights when key players are out.

The Celtics have faced numerous games this season where not all their main rotation players (Tatum, Brown, Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford, Payton Pritchard, Luke Kornet, and Hauser) were available, having all nine together for fewer than a quarter of their 52 games.

Craig is expected to take on a role akin to what Oshae Brissett did last season (55 games, averaging 11.5 minutes per game), allowing younger players like Walsh, Scheierman, and Peterson to continue their development.

Defense

Torrey Craig is primarily recognized for his tenacious and adaptable defense. According to Cleaning The Glass, he’s been in the 93rd percentile or higher for shot-blocking percentage at his position in four out of his seven full NBA seasons. He’s also proven to be a capable rebounder on both offense and defense, ranking in the 71st percentile for defensive rebounds with Chicago last season and the 88th percentile for offensive rebounds.

Last season, opponents shot over 40% from three-point range when Craig was the closest defender, as per NBA player tracking data. However, this season, that figure dropped to 33.3%, although this is based on a limited nine-game sample size. In the 2022-23 and 2021-22 seasons, opponents shot 34.8% and 33.6% respectively with Craig defending.

Perimeter shooting

Torrey Craig isn’t known for filling up the stat sheet, with career averages of 6.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game. His career 3-point shooting percentage of 35.5% is average, but he’s shown improvement in his long-range game in recent years while taking more shots from deep. In the 2022-23 season, he hit 39.5% of his threes (3.2 attempts per game), and last season, he shot 39.2% (2.9 attempts per game). This season, in his nine games with the Bulls, he was even more effective, making 42.9% of his three-point attempts (15-for-35).

In his last game before being waived, Craig had an impressive performance, going 5-for-7 from three-point range and scoring a season-high 18 points in an overtime victory against Charlotte. He also made 3 out of 5 three-pointers in a November 29 defeat to Boston.

Injury concerns

Torrey Craig’s last game with Chicago was over a month ago on December 30. He’s been out since then due to an ankle sprain, which the Celtics will assess during his physical examination before their Saturday game against the New York Knicks, as reported by Jared Weiss from The Athletic. This season, before his release, Craig only played in back-to-back games twice (though he was available but did not play in some of those games). He also had knee and foot problems last season.

Therefore, staying healthy will be crucial for Craig as he starts his journey with the Celtics. He will be the third-oldest player on the team, only younger than Al Horford (38) and Jrue Holiday (34).

Jimmy Butler has one thing he wishes he could change about his rocky split from the Miami Heat. And surprisingly, it’s not related to basketball at all.

“Only one,” Butler told reporters on Thursday at his Warriors introductory press conference. “I just opened my coffee shop in Miami and can’t go there anymore.”

Following a public dispute with the Heat and a tense trade situation with Golden State, Jimmy Butler decided to put his differences behind him. He inked a two-year extension with the Warriors, securing his place with the team until the 2026-27 season after being traded at the deadline.

On the hardwood, this deal pairs him with Golden State’s star, Steph Curry, who’s also committed to the Warriors through the same season.

Away from basketball, this move gives Butler the opportunity to expand his signature coffee shop to the West Coast.

“So, we’re going to have to figure out a way to get one in San [Francisco],” Butler quipped.

Jimmy Butler, who has been named an All-Star six times, took the Miami Heat to the NBA Finals on two occasions and reached the Eastern Conference Finals three times during his five-year tenure there.

However, this season has been tumultuous for Butler with the Heat, as he was suspended twice, the second time indefinitely, for breaking several team rules.

In the 25 games he played this year, Butler’s performance dipped to an average of 17 points per game, marking his lowest scoring since the 2013-14 season, alongside 5.2 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game.

A move to Golden State could rejuvenate both Butler’s career and the spirits of the Warriors’ fans, while also potentially expanding his coffee business westward.

Kerr disappointed by ‘obvious’ missed call in Warriors’ loss

There are moments when a missed call is so obvious that it’s beyond debate, and Warriors coach Steve Kerr expressed his strong feelings about an overlooked eight-second violation in the last minute of Golden State’s 120-112 defeat to the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday.

“I saw an eight-second violation,” Kerr told reporters. “It was pretty obvious. So, very disappointing it wasn’t called.”

Draymond Green was visibly upset with the missed call, fervently arguing with the officials after the Warriors weren’t given the ball for what should have been a turnover. At that point, Golden State was only six points behind, with a good chance to turn the game around.

Although Kerr showed his frustration, he made it clear that the missed call wasn’t the sole reason for the Warriors’ defeat on Thursday.

“When you allow five home-run passes over the top with no defensive awareness for 10 points, you don’t deserve to win,” Kerr told reporters. “Loved our fight in the second half. Loved the way the guys competed. That’s the way it’s going to have to feel like the rest of the season. We got to bring that level of energy but we have to add the awareness and the feel of not giving up the easy stuff when it comes to transition, pick-six passes, fouling when they’re in the bonus. They shot 36 free throws tonight. Too many plays that gave them easy points and that was the difference in the game.”

The Warriors experienced their second consecutive loss on Thursday, slipping below a .500 record and falling to the 11th seed in the Western Conference.

Bringing in six-time NBA All-Star Jimmy Butler might just be the jolt Golden State needs to push for a playoff spot as they grapple with significant team challenges.

Even with their own problems to solve, being on the receiving end of critical missed calls in tight games can be incredibly frustrating for seasoned NBA coaches and players alike, as evidenced by Thursday’s game.