“SGA must be jealous” – Fans troll Jimmy Butler for 18 FTA night in play-in clash against Grizzlies

Jimmy Butler delivered in a big way during the Golden State Warriors’ 121-116 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday night to lock in the No. 7 seed, exploding for a game-high 38 points on 12-for-20 shooting. But while his overall performance turned heads, fans zeroed in on one area: his trips to the free-throw line.

Butler went to the charity stripe 18 times, knocking down 12 shots. The Warriors as a whole had a 28-20 edge in made free throws and a 34-23 advantage in attempts, with Steph Curry converting all 13 of his attempts, including four clutch freebies to close the game.

Given how often Butler got to the line in such a pivotal game, fans couldn’t help but draw comparisons to another foul-drawing maestro: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

“SGA must be jealous,” one fan said.

“Jimmy Shai butler 😂😂😂,” another commented.

“That SGA whistle isn’t that bad when u watch this bum a**,” another said.

SGA finished second in the regular season in total free throw attempts with 669 (Giannis Antetokounmpo led with 707), and led the league in makes with 601, hitting them at an 89.8% clip.

Jimmy Butler’s free throw prowess has also stood out since joining Golden State at the trade deadline. He hit 201 free throws for the Warriors in the regular season, which is more than his 159 made field goals.

Here’s what more fans had to say about his performance at the line:

“18 fts ? c’mon mannn,” one said.

“Disgusting whistle,” another said.

“Free throw merchant,” another commented.

Jimmy Butler praises Warriors’ effort in gritty win vs Grizzlies

While Jimmy Butler and Steph Curry combined for 75 of the Warriors’ 121 points, Butler spread the credit postgame, pointing to the full team effort — and giving Curry a heroic nickname.

“We got a hellified Batman in Steph, and we just got a group of guys that got a lot of fight. Never gave up,” he told TNT postgame.

Asked what he enjoys most about this Warriors group, Butler said:

“More than anything, how together we are. On the floor, off the floor. How everybody wants everybody to be great, and we play our roles to the T. I think that’s one of the most important parts of a championship team, and we have that.”

With the win in the books, Butler and the Warriors now turn their attention to a first-round playoff showdown with the No. 2 seed Houston Rockets.

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John Ezekiel Hirro is an experienced NBA and WNBA journalist at Sportskeeda, with over five years in the field as a news correspondent, sports writer, and Editor-in-Chief. His sports writing career began in high school, where he garnered numerous accolades, including being named the national sports writing champion in 2016.

He earned his journalism degree from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines in 2024 and served as the Editor-in-Chief of The Varsitarian, the university’s official student publication, for four years—the longest in history.

A passionate basketball enthusiast, he became a fan of the OKC Thunder during the Russ-KD-Harden era. Russell Westbrook, his all-time favorite athlete, impressed him by stepping up as MVP after Kevin Durant’s departure. His current favorite players include Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, who he believes are the future of the OKC franchise.

He excels in game analysis and rapid news story turnaround, drawing inspiration from the journalistic styles of Woj and Shams. He emphasizes thorough research to ensure accuracy in his articles. One of his most memorable moments is Russell Westbrook breaking Oscar Robertson’s record with his 42nd triple-double and securing a 106-105 victory over the Denver Nuggets with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer. Outside of writing, he enjoys listening to music and creating Spotify playlists.

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Edited by John Ezekiel Hirro