Jimmy Butler's Status Uncertain for Crucial Game 3 Against Rockets
In a tense moment for the Golden State Warriors, forward Jimmy Butler has been listed as questionable for Game 3 of their first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets. This uncertainty comes after Butler sustained a pelvic contusion during a hard fall in Game 2.
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr expressed cautious optimism regarding Butler's condition, stating, "I'm relatively optimistic, I mean Jimmy's Jimmy. We know he's willing to play through anything, so we'll see." He added, "This is a day-to-day thing for sure and we'll see how he feels tomorrow. But I think there's a chance he plays."
After the game, Butler returned home from Houston and underwent an MRI exam in the Bay Area on Thursday. The results confirmed that he had injured his pelvis and suffered a deep gluteal muscle contusion. The team provided this update on Friday, as the best-of-seven series stands tied at one game apiece, with Game 3 set to take place at Chase Center in San Francisco on Saturday night. Game 4 is scheduled for Monday.
Butler has been a significant asset for the Warriors since his acquisition from Miami at the trade deadline, easing the pressure on star player Stephen Curry by contributing effectively on both ends of the court. Unfortunately, Butler's injury occurred late in the first quarter of Game 2 when he was fouled by Amen Thompson. The collision sent Butler crashing down hard, landing directly on his tailbone, which forced him to miss the remainder of the Warriors' 109-94 loss.
During the play, Butler attempted to secure a rebound when Thompson undercut him, causing Butler's feet to fly up into the air. The impact of the fall was severe, and Butler was seen grimacing in pain as he clutched his backside. He briefly remained on the court to shoot two free throws before heading to the locker room.
Rockets coach Ime Udoka acknowledged Butler's importance to the Warriors, stating, "Obviously, he's a huge part of what they do. Isolation scorer, cross matches, he likes to hunt those, so you can key in on Curry a little bit more obviously with him not on the court. And I think we did that for the most part."
In a twist, Houston's Dillon Brooks defended Thompson's actions during the game, labeling them as fair play. He went on to comment, "I think the dirty player is Draymond (Green)." When Kerr was informed of Brooks' remarks, he responded with a hint of surprise, saying, "Dillon said that? Interesting."
Reflecting on past incidents, Brooks had previously been involved in a controversial play during the 2022 playoffs, where his Flagrant 2 foul on Gary Payton II resulted in a fractured elbow for Payton. Despite the injury, Payton returned for Game 2 of the Warriors' championship series against Boston.
Since joining the Warriors in February, Butler has made a significant impact on both ends of the court. In the Game 1 victory against the Rockets, he scored 25 points on 10-for-19 shooting, along with seven rebounds, six assists, and five steals in 42 minutes of play. The Warriors have posted an impressive 25-9 record since Butler's debut on February 8, which includes a play-in tournament win over Memphis and the two games against Houston.
In light of Butler's potential absence, Coach Kerr is prepared to leverage the team's depth, stating, "Not two game plans but two rotations for sure; the game plan doesn't change." He emphasized the importance of adapting to the situation while maintaining the overall strategy.
Kerr further elaborated on Butler's injury, noting that it is primarily a matter of pain tolerance, which is why his status remains day-to-day. Jonathan Kuminga, who had not seen any action in the previous three games, was called into the rotation following Butler's injury. Additionally, Brandin Podziemski played through an illness, reportedly caused by food poisoning from seafood, and even received intravenous fluids at halftime.
Podziemski expressed his readiness to step up, regardless of Butler's availability, stating, "Everybody's going to step up and play a better role when he's not out there. Obviously, it helps that we're at home, so role players, it makes it easier for them because the crowd's playing with them. I think everybody's just going to step up and play better. It's the first home playoff game for many of us."
In a final note, Curry shared his thoughts on Butler's injury, comparing it to similar experiences he has had in the past. "I've had that happen a couple of times, and you know exactly what it is. It's a matter of how bad it was, and I don't know," he said after the game. "But it definitely changed the dynamic of our offense. Him and BP played a combined 21 minutes, so it kind of shuffled all the rotations a little bit."
