"We let anybody do whatever they want… It’s just sad" - Jimmy Butler on what is going wrong with the Warriors

Although there are 62 games left to be played in the Golden State Warriors' regular season schedule, the vibes aren't exactly positive in the locker room. After they lost at home for the second time in three games, suffering a 104-100 defeat at the hands of the Kevin Durant-less Houston Rockets, All-Star wingman Jimmy Butler discussed what he believes is going wrong with the team, and it's not a pretty picture.

Although they held the Rockets to only 39.4 percent shooting, the Warriors were dismal on the glass, allowing their opponents to secure an astonishing 25 offensive rebounds. In fact, little-used center Clint Capela hauled eight offensive rebounds by himself, five off the Dubs' total for the game.

Butler was critical of his team's effort, especially in executing the most fundamental aspects, such as boxing out and adhering to the scouting report. As menial as these tasks may seem, the veteran knows they are crucial in determining the outcome of a game.

The Warriors are making things difficult for themselves

A few days after a lackluster defensive effort against the Portland Trail Blazers, in which they allowed four players to score 20-plus points, the Warriors' defensive issues resurfaced. This time, they mostly stood and watched as the Rockets strode into the lane to either score layups or grab an offensive board.

An obviously steaming Butler pointed these things out, saying the Rockets essentially did whatever they wanted on the floor.

"We don’t box out. We don’t go with the scouting report. We let anybody do whatever they want — open shots, getting into the paint, free throws. It’s just… just sad," Butler said.

Jimmy wasn't done, though, as he surmised that their defensive intensity usually hinges on their offensive efficiency. This means that if shots aren't falling — the Dubs shot 2-for-21 from behind the arc in the second half —  their defense also goes down the drain.

"A lot of our hustle is dictated upon our offense," Butler reckoned. "When we're making shots, oh, man, we're celebrating, we're cheering, doing all those things. When we're not, when the game's not going our way, we put our head down, and we mope, and we don't box out, and we don't get back. We foul. We do all the bad things."

Related: Steve Kerr heaves sigh of relief after Steph Curry injury update

Green didn't hold back

Another Warriors veteran, Draymond Green, also didn't hold back, chastising their effort and saying the team is playing "soft" right now.

"Our defense is s—t," Green stressed. "It's not necessarily the numbers. How do you feel when you out there? It's just letdown after letdown. It's bigger than the numbers. Defense is about demeanor. If there's letdown, it kills your demeanor, it kills your bravado. Then you're just a soft team."

With the Warriors bracing for more bad news following the bruised right quad that superstar guard Stephen Curry suffered in the fourth quarter, Butler said their margin for error shrank to zero.

"I think we’re going to have to be damn near perfect. We ain’t going to have the ultimate bailout on our team," Jimmy said, referring to the Chef, who's averaging 27.9 points per game this season.

"But even when he is on the floor, we’re going to have to do our job, because we make the game real difficult. And as great as a basketball player as he is, he has a really hard job every single day. If he’s got to be like the Batman of all Batmans and save us every night, that ain’t what he’s here to do," Butler added.

The Warriors' road quickly went from rocky to downright treacherous in one fell swoop. However, one thing they can look forward to is the return of Jonathan Kuminga, who has missed the last six outings due to a knee injury. Additionally, the Dubs are hopeful that two-way guard De'Anthony Melton can finally make his season debut after tearing his ACL last year.

Related: "We're an average team" - Steve Kerr bluntly describes the state of the Golden State Warriors after another home loss

This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Nov 27, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.