Golden State Warriors’ star Jimmy Butler is likely to be sidelined for Game 3 of the team’s first-round playoff series with the Houston Rockets. His status is now downgraded to questionable. The question mark over Butler’s participation stems from a pelvic contusion that he suffered on a nasty fall in Game 2. Late in the first quarter, Amen Thompson took an ill-advised shot that basically shanked Butler. This slammed Butler to the ground hard on his tailbone, causing him to leave early from the game.
During Wednesday’s Game 2, the Warriors suffered a 109-94 loss after Butler went down, missing the remainder of the contest. After finishing the game, he went back to the Bay Area and had an MRI on Thursday. The findings corroborated that Butler sustained an acute pelvis fracture, as well as a deep gluteal muscle contusion. That poses questions about his availability for Sunday’s game against the Colts.
Before his injury, Butler had been instrumental in the Warriors’ success, contributing significantly on both ends of the court since joining the team from Miami at the trade deadline. In Game 1, he wowed fans with his aerial artistry, slamming home 25 points on the Warriors. He corralled seven rebounds, recorded six assists and pilfered five steals in 42 minutes on court. To find out what’s made the Warriors so unbeatable since Butler’s debut on February 8, Golden State boasts the NBA’s best record of 25-9 in that span.
With Butler absent, Warriors coach Steve Kerr discussed the effect it would have on their approach. He stated,
“If Jimmy’s out, we have to rethink everything, like rotations, who starts and the best combinations and all that stuff.”
Kuminga has fallen out of the rotation over the past three games. If Butler is unable to go, that would possibly free up Kuminga to get his opportunity to show some substantial improvement.
The Warriors clearly understand that Butler is the difference between their current level and a playoff team. At least Rockets head coach Ime Udoka recognized this when he said,
“Obviously, he’s a huge part of what they do.”
Later in the series, Houston’s Dillon Brooks vigorously defends Butler’s style of play. So here’s the problem that Palmer has created for himself—he’s been fair to Butler, but he’s called Draymond Green a “dirty player”. This subtle jab adds a new element as both teams head into Game 3 of the historic rivalry.
Game 4 is Monday, and each team is making plans with an eye on Butler’s status. And while his contributions to the game can’t really be overstated, look no further than what he’s done so far in this series.
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