NBA: Warrior godfather.

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As a child growing up in the slums, Butler had never flown on a plane during the first eighteen years of his life.

For him, flying was a luxury. It wasn't until he went to Indiana with Liam Gonzalez that he boarded a plane for the first time in his life.

During the next two years of his college career, Butler didn't fly much during the regular season, except for the chance to travel during March Madness.

But after joining the NBA, in less than half a month, Butler had already flown five times with the Warriors between home and away games.

It only took him 12 days to go from being excited about boarding the team plane to feeling bored whenever he saw it.

During those 12 days, the Warriors played four additional games, on top of their win and loss against the Rockets and Suns.

Butler had grown resentful of whoever created the Warriors' schedule. To him, no reasonable person would arrange games like this—it was pure torture.

After losing to the Suns, the Warriors returned to Oakland to host the Grizzlies.

In contrast to Curry's two consecutive 30-point performances, Hasheem Thabeet's start with the Grizzlies was mediocre. He played as a substitute for 18 minutes in his first game against the Pistons, scoring 4 points and grabbing 5 rebounds, concluding his NBA debut.

However, there wasn't much outside criticism of Thabeet. He wasn't drafted by the Grizzlies as the second overall pick like Liam had been in his prior life. Instead, he entered the NBA as the seventh pick, which made his flaws more acceptable.

In Liam's previous life, Thabeet had played 12 minutes in his first game, scoring 0 points, 0 assists, and grabbing 2 rebounds. From that moment, his status with the Grizzlies plummeted. He was relegated to garbage time and eventually vanished from the NBA after his rookie contract expired.

Starting in the NBA from a lower point wasn't a bad thing for Thabeet. The Grizzlies lowered their expectations and were willing to dedicate more time to developing him.

Against the Warriors, Thabeet played 17 minutes and recorded 5 points, 6 rebounds, and 1 assist.

Curry remained in great form, scoring 28 points and dishing out 8 assists, helping the Warriors beat the Grizzlies 105-92.

Corey Maggette, who started in this game, contributed 18 points and 7 rebounds, silencing any criticism about his value in the trade.

Curry's immediate impact had silenced doubters. Even if Maggette and Thabeet had been traded for Curry, it would've been seen as a win, especially since Lowry was providing solid minutes and contributing 8 points and 4 assists per game.

After defeating the Grizzlies, the Warriors stayed at Oracle Arena to face the Clippers.

Originally, this game was scheduled for a national broadcast, as fans anticipated a clash between the first and second overall picks. However, Blake Griffin had suffered a stress fracture in his left knee on the eve of the season. His NBA debut was postponed indefinitely.

Without Griffin, the Clippers remained a weak team. The national broadcast was canceled, and the Warriors cruised to a bloodless 115-87 victory. Six Warriors scored in double digits, with Maggette tallying 27 points, Curry contributing 16 points and 14 assists, and Biedrins notching an 18-point, 12-rebound double-double.

After two consecutive wins, the Warriors boarded a private plane to Sacramento to face the Kings on the road.

The Kings came out strong, shooting an impressive 46.9% from beyond the arc. Seven of their ten players scored in double figures, overwhelming the Warriors in a 120-110 defeat, ending the Warriors' winning streak.

After the game, the team rushed back to Golden State. While the distance from Oakland to Sacramento wasn't far, Butler was growing weary of frequent flights.

Butler wasn't alone. In their next home game against the Timberwolves, many rookies underperformed. Curry shot just 3 of 9 but still managed 27 points. Butler and Matthews also appeared sluggish.

Fortunately for the Warriors, the Timberwolves were worse. Only Al Jefferson shone with 23 points and 8 rebounds. Jonny Flynn was the second-highest scorer with 13 points. The Timberwolves lost 112-87.

But this was just the beginning of the Timberwolves' woes. No one, except Liam, knew just how far this team would fall.

The Timberwolves were often compared to the Knicks, but Liam thought they were worse. By the time Liam had crossed into this life, the Knicks were already showing signs of revival, having made the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Timberwolves were still vying for yet another first overall pick.

This team shouldn't even be called the Timberwolves—they should be renamed the Huskies, as their existence only brought joy to others. Whenever fans were frustrated with their own teams, thinking about the Timberwolves' baffling decisions brought a sense of relief.

After beating the Timberwolves, the Warriors had just one night to rest before heading back to Oakland International Airport to board their private jet.

Butler looked at the plane and nearly groaned. Up next was a five-game Eastern Conference road trip in just seven days, including two back-to-backs.

Butler didn't fear strong opponents, but he hated the constant cycle of playing a game and then rushing to the airport.

Entering the NBA, he realized how grueling life in the league was.

NBA players earned high salaries but traveled upwards of 35,000 kilometers annually—some teams even reached 50,000. They spent less time with family and more time shuttling between airports and arenas.

As a young player experiencing this for the first time, Butler could only work hard to adapt. He knew that to establish himself in the NBA, he had to embrace this lifestyle.

He grabbed his sleep mask and earplugs, reclined his seat, and closed his eyes for a brief rest.

Their first stop on this Eastern Conference trip held special significance for Butler. He wanted to be in top form for this game.

…

The Warriors' private jet covered the 3,600-kilometer journey before landing smoothly.

Butler packed his belongings, looked out the window at the familiar sights, and smiled widely.

Matthews, seated beside him, noticed his excitement.

"Jimmy, why are you so happy?"

Butler turned and replied,

"Wesley, you'll see soon enough."

"Huh?" Matthews looked puzzled.

Butler grinned and said,

"Welcome to Indiana!"

At that moment, hundreds of people were gathered outside Indianapolis International Airport. They wore blue Bulldogs jerseys, held banners, and eagerly awaited the team's arrival.

Ten minutes later, the Warriors emerged. The crowd immediately recognized Liam Gonzalez at the forefront and began cheering:

"Coach Liam, welcome back to Indiana!"

"Stephen, you're the best! Tonight, I'm not a Pacers fan—I'm cheering for you!"

"The Bulldogs must win!"

The crowd's energy was overwhelming. Many fans were students from Butler University.

These fans weren't supporting the Warriors—they were supporting Liam and Curry.

It was Liam's first return to Indiana since leaving Butler University.

After leading the Bulldogs to two championships, Liam had propelled the university into the Big East Conference. The Bulldogs' recent success had made them as famous as more established programs, attracting talented high school athletes.

Though the NCAA season hadn't begun, many expected Butler to make the Sweet 16.

These were the treasures Liam left behind for the Bulldogs. The game against the Pacers was his only chance to return to Indiana this season, and fans were eager to show their appreciation.

Liam smiled and waved at the crowd, prompting another wave of cheers. He instructed the players to spread out and sign autographs.

However, most of the fans clustered around Liam, Curry, and Butler. Only a few reluctantly handed items to the other Warriors players.

Biedrins, for example, was handed a Curry jersey to sign and nearly dropped the pen in disbelief.

"Why not give me a notebook?" he thought. "What's the point of me signing Curry's jersey?"

But he forced a smile and wrote his name. After all, being associated with Curry wasn't the worst thing.

Eventually, the Warriors managed to extricate themselves from the crowd. Liam, Curry, and Butler paid the price with sore hands.

As more fans arrived, assistant coach Silas approached Liam and said,

"Liam, our game against the Pacers is tonight, and it's already 11. Should we head to the hotel for rest and a quick warm-up in the afternoon?"

Silas made a good point. Liam bid farewell to the fans and led the team to their hotel.

That evening, after facing the Pacers, the Warriors would fly straight to New York. For now, they had only a few hours to rest and prepare for the challenge ahead.

End of this chapter

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