Golden State Warriors suffered a huge blow when they lost to the Phoenix Suns. All-star forward Jimmy Butler exited early with a sore back. Butler, who had started all eight games this season, was initially cleared to play after warming up on the practice court 90 minutes before tipoff. What he did do was very restricted, and it left you with some pretty serious questions about his health going forward.
Especially in the first half, Butler had a hard time getting comfortable. He was 1-for-5 shooting and couldn’t stay on the floor for more than 14 minutes. His lack of ability to help out on off-ball defense resulted in him not closing out the half. The situation took a turn when he subbed out at the 7:04 mark of the second quarter and subsequently exited for the locker room.
As the game headed into the third quarter, the Warriors mercifully made it official — Butler was done. This move created a revival of worry from observers over the effect of his high ankle injury. Ever since joining the Warriors in February after a mid-season trade, Butler has been downright indestructible. He appeared in 30 of the last 31 games last regular season. Not only that, after falling flat on his tailbone, he still only missed one playoff game—his fall resulted in a serious injury.
Butler’s early exit against the Suns is especially concerning considering he was listed as questionable to play to begin with. His absence from the bench during the second half only underscored the seriousness of his condition. As the Warriors attempt to build on their success from last season, they will surely have an eye on Butler’s recovery.
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