Warriors’ Jimmy Butler’s injury scare sent shockwaves through the Golden State Warriors’ playoff campaign, as the star guard exited early with a pelvis contusion during Wednesday’s 109-94 loss to the Houston Rockets in Game 2.
How the Injury Happened
Butler collided midair with Houston’s Amen Thompson while contesting a rebound and landed heavily on his tailbone.
Although Butler briefly remained in the game — hitting one of two free throws — he clearly struggled with movement before signaling to the bench.
The Warriors officially ruled him out in the second quarter.
The team later confirmed Butler will undergo an MRI on Thursday to determine the full extent of the injury.
Butler’s Impact and Golden State’s Worry
Since debuting for the Warriors on February 8, Butler had been pivotal, with Golden State going 25-8 across the regular season, play-in, and playoffs.
He posted a monster 25-7-6-5 stat line in Game 1 but managed just 3 points and 2 rebounds before exiting Game 2.
Losing Butler for any length of time would be a major blow as the series now shifts to Chase Center tied 1-1.
Other Setbacks for the Warriors
Starting guard Brandin Podziemski also battled through an illness caused by pregame food issues.
Podziemski was limited to 14 ineffective minutes, forcing Jonathan Kuminga and Pat Spencer into larger-than-expected roles.
What’s Next
The Warriors and Rockets meet again for a pivotal Game 3 on Saturday in San Francisco, with Golden State’s hopes heavily tied to Jimmy Butler’s MRI results.
