There’s a certain calmness with these Golden State Warriors despite being the lower seed and having to open the postseason away from home. 

The opening contest of the Warriors’ Western Conference first round matchup against the Houston Rockets was a game of runs and Golden State was not fazed by any of the Rockets’ runs. A 7-0 run to start the game? The Warriors simply went to their sets and focused on proper execution to stay within fighting distance. How about when Houston responded with their own run hoping to extend the lead? Again, Golden State adjusted and remained deliberate in their approach. Of course, the Rockets would not go down without a fight and remained relentless in the second half. 

But there was a center of inevitability within these Warriors, who stole homecourt advantage and made a statement with their 95-85 Game 1 victory. And at the forefront of that were Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler. 

Curry did not convert on his first 3-pointer until two minutes before halftime and yet he remained effective because of how he adapted to working inside instead. All the two-time NBA MVP needed, however, was to see the first one fall in. 

The shots began to fall to the point that Curry defied gravity in his own way. When the dust settled, the greatest shooter of all time ended with 63.2/55.6/100 shooting splits. Perhaps this was Curry’s way for atoning for the three-point dud he had against Houston in the regular season too. 

Overall, this is a testament to how Curry continues to elevate his game, especially in high-stakes moments. This elevation is not just about him raising his game to elite levels, but the two-time NBA Scoring Champion has shown how he can be great and fit in. And that’s where Butler comes in. 

There’s a reason Golden State was willing to acquire Butler despite what they had to let go and the tensions with the Miami Heat: He shows up in the playoffs. While Draymond Green remains the Warriors’ swiss-army knife, Butler has done whatever was needed for Golden State. Whether that was making the right pass, making a defensive stop, or scoring off a putback, count on Butler to make the right play at the right time. Moreover, his midrange game has added another element to the Warriors’ attack, and it has only unlocked Golden State’s 3-point shooting. 

The Warriors are 25-7 since acquiring Butler and are 15-4 on the road with him and it’s proof of Golden State’s malleability with superstars. Butler has fit in quite well with the Warriors and this could remind many of when Durant fit in seamlessly in Golden State and won two NBA titles for his efforts. Butler’s influence on the game has extended beyond what’s tangible and his proven track record should spell some success for the Warriors going forward. 

There are a select group of players who you would want on your team in a hostile environment and the Golden State Warriors have two of them. Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler proved such in Game 1 and while the Houston Rockets could respond as the series goes on, they will have to contend with a duo that continues to defy expectations.