The Golden State Warriors took a hit on and off the scoreboard in Wednesday’s 109-94 loss to the Houston Rockets, as star forward Jimmy Butler exited early with a pelvic contusion and did not return.
The loss evened the first-round playoff series at 1-1, but the bigger concern for Golden State now is Butler’s health moving forward. The 35-year-old went down late in the first quarter after a hard fall while contesting a rebound and was quickly ruled out for the rest of the game.
Postgame, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr shared an update—and a note of caution.
“Jimmy always says he’s fine,” Kerr told reporters. “We have to wait and see with the MRI.”
Despite Butler’s own optimism, Kerr’s tone reflected some unease, suggesting that the Warriors are bracing for the possibility that their veteran leader could miss Game 3, scheduled for Saturday in San Francisco.
Kerr also addressed the play that led to the injury, defending Rockets rookie Amen Thompson.
“We didn’t think it was dirty,” Kerr said. “It looked like an accident.”
With Butler sidelined and Brandin Podziemski dealing with illness, Golden State struggled to find offensive rhythm—despite another strong outing from Stephen Curry.
Next Man Up?
Should Butler be unavailable for Game 3, forward Jonathan Kuminga is expected to step into a larger role. The Warriors will also need increased production from their bench to compensate for the potential absence of their six-time All-Star.
Golden State now faces mounting pressure as they return home, with their title hopes potentially hinging on Butler’s MRI results.