Jimmy Butler: Kerr and Green Heated Exchange Ignited Warriors

A tense sideline spat between Steve Kerr and Draymond Green during a 120 97 win over the Magic seemed to wake the Warriors. Golden State followed with a third straight victory, beating the Mavericks 126 116, and Jimmy Butler weighed in after the game. The splashy trade for Butler and last season's late surge still loom large, but offensive inconsistency has left the team hovering around .500 while the defense ranks third in the league. Merlin sees a club with habit and hope tangled together. Curry and Butler still carry most of the scoring load, so the true test is whether role players can sustain the scoring nights. A three game Eastern road trip beginning in Toronto will reveal if this spark is a flame or a flicker.