The Golden State Warriors secured a solid 98-79 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday night, October 28, 2025, at the Chase Center in San Francisco. The matchup featured a warm exchange between Jimmy Butler III and Stephen Curry during the closing minutes of the game, highlighting the camaraderie among the players.
Since joining the Warriors in February, Butler has been a pillar of consistency, appearing in 47 of the 49 possible games leading up to the weekend. As the season began, he played in all seven games to start this season. However, concerns arose regarding his availability for the game against the Phoenix Suns due to lower back soreness. Warriors’ head coach Steve Kerr expressed the importance of managing player health, particularly with another game scheduled the following night in Sacramento.
Despite the injury query, Butler was ultimately declared active for the game. Kerr emphasized the need for depth in the Warriors’ roster, especially with veteran players like Butler (36), Curry (37), and Draymond Green (35) facing an intense schedule early in the season. He noted that the current pace of the game demands teams to navigate back-to-back matchups strategically while still striving for victories.
In the early part of the season, Butler’s performance has been impressive, scoring at least 20 points in six of the first seven games and averaging 8.3 free-throw attempts per game, contributing a much-needed dimension to the team’s offense. In Butler’s absence, the onus would fall on Curry and Jonathan Kuminga to step up in scoring.
Reflecting on player usage, Kerr mentioned a missed opportunity in resting one or more veterans during a rigorous stretch that included three games in four nights and an overtime win against Denver. He acknowledged the physical toll this takes and expressed a desire to better manage player health going forward.
In a separate note, veteran center Al Horford was not available for the game, as he is being managed carefully due to a left toe injury. The Warriors have indicated that he will not participate in back-to-back games this season but is expected to be back on Wednesday for the match against Sacramento.
As the Warriors face five back-to-back sets in the opening month, the continuity between games, such as this week’s matchup against the Kings that does not require air travel, is vital. However, the schedule will intensify next week with the team’s longest road trip of the season, consisting of six games over nine days in the Central and Eastern time zones, presenting a significant challenge ahead.