Tonight’s game between the Golden State Warriors and the Orlando Magic took an unexpected turn when Jimmy Butler became the focus of a sudden incident that roused the crowd at Kia Center. Known for his steady demeanor, the forward found himself at the center of controversy after committing a brutal offensive foul that ultimately resulted in a technical foul, with no need for an official review.

The replay made everything clearer. During a Warriors offensive possession, while Stephen Curry shot a three, Jimmy Butler went after Magic guard Jalen Suggs, looking to box him out. Instead, Suggs was met with a pull on his jersey that sent him crashing to the floor. As the whistle blew, Butler escalated the moment. As Suggs went to shoot the free throws, Butler started a heated argument with Magic center Wendell Carter Jr., creating immediate tension on the court.

Emotions ran high. When Carter approached to stand up for his teammate, Jimmy reacted with a verbal taunt, forcing teammates and officials to intervene. The referees convened, but didn’t call a foul, leaving both teams on edge as play eventually resumed.

Right afterward, on the very next possession, Butler took the ball and drove hard at Suggs, unable to finish, getting tangled up. Eventually, for being overly physical, Suggs was also assessed a technical foul, showcasing the physical nature of this matchup.

Before this series of events, Butler had been one of the leading forces for the Warriors. Through the first three quarters, Butler had recorded 19 points, four rebounds, and three assists, before going off for 14 points in the fourth, but failed to beat the surging Magic, who outscored Golden State in each of the first three quarters.

During the match, Butler was also trying to motivate his teammates to perform better, and after Buddy Hield failed to catch Butler’s pass and turned the ball over in the first quarter, Butler yelled at him, “Put your hands up,” before jokingly adding, “I’m never passing you the ball again.” The two have had a great relationship both on and off the court since Butler was traded to the Warriors last season, and it’s clear that there was no ill will during the exchange.

His comments also fall in line with head coach Steve Kerr’s comments. After an earlier loss to the Sacramento Kings, Kerr said, “The turnovers, the decision-making, the spacing, the ability to dribble, pass and shoot – those four things lead to good decision-making as a team, as a group.”

Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler Shine, But the Orlando Magic Have More Answers

Orlando didn’t just outscore Golden State today, but outlast them. Six players posted double digits for them, along with a 35-22 bench advantage, and kept throwing fresh legs at a Warriors group clearly running on fumes. Anthony Black scored 21 points, including a perfect night at the line, helping fuel an 18-18 charity stripe in the second quarter, pushing the lead to 15, giving Orlando a massive cushion. Without star Paolo Banchero for the third night, the Magic shot 51% from the field, playing with a balance that Golden State just couldn’t match.

For the Warriors, the stars showed up. Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler recorded 34 and 33 points each, but the rest of the team shot a combined 6-21 from three, and no reserve reached double figures, spelling doom in the fifth road game during an eight-day stretch. Curry managed to dish out nine assists, and both Butler and him collected three steals, but Orlando’s depth completely stuffed them.

The fourth quarter marked a turning point for the Magic. Golden State had managed to claw their way back to a 99-94 game. Black drove in for a layup, then slammed a momentum-shifting dunk in the next possession. From there, Desmond Bane steadied the game, and closed the door for the Warriors. Now, Golden State must prepare for their matchup against Miami tomorrow, likely a milestone game for Butler.