After two games, the physicality of an already intense first-round series between the Golden State Warriors and the Houston Rockets is taking a toll. The Warriors finished their Game 2 loss in Houston without their star wing, Jimmy Butler.
When going for a rebound in the first quarter, Rockets young forward Amen Thompson undercut Butler, causing the veteran to fall to the floor hard. After getting up, Butler exited the game and went to the locker room. Butler was then ruled out for the remainder of the game with a pelvis contusion.
According to Tim Kawakai of the San Francisco Standard, Butler underwent an X-ray at the Toyota Center in Houston that showed no major damage. Butler is now set to undergo an MRI to provide further information on his injury and status for the remainder of the series against the Rockets. Butler will head back to the Bay Area on Wednesday night after Game 3 for the MRI before the Warriors fly back to San Francisco on Thursday, per Kawakami.
NBA source: Though the Warriors, as scheduled, are staying over in Houston tonight, the plans are for Jimmy Butler to fly back to the Bay Area tonight to get an MRI tomorrow.
Initial X-rays at the arena show no major damage, but an MRI will give more details.— Tim Kawakami (@timkawakami) April 24, 2025
After the game, Steve Kerr said he spoke with Butler. Kerr added that the 14-year-veteran “always says he’s going to be fine.”
Steve Kerr: “Jimmy always says he’s fine.”
MRI tomorrow
Kerr said their feeling was the Butler fall was an “inadvertent” accident in a jumbled up rebound situation and credited Houston for outplaying them pic.twitter.com/7rc9BMH4nh— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) April 24, 2025
WIth Butler sidelined, Kerr brought Jonathan Kuminga off the bench on Wednesday night against the Rockets. Kuminga hasn’t played in the last three games after falling out of the rotation. In Game 2, Kuminga notched 11 points on 4-of-12 shooting from the field with three rebounds and two assists in 26 minutes off the bench.
The Warriors will get Thursday and Friday off before opening up the doors of Chase Center to host the Rockets for Game 3 on Saturday evening in San Francisco.
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