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There's no denying Game 2 took a huge turn when Jimmy Butler took a scary fall onto the hardwood. And while Butler suffered a pelvic contusion after being undercut by a falling Amen Thompson, which puts his availability for Game 3 in question, it shouldn't completely overshadow the Golden State Warriors' major issues in their 109-94 loss to the Houston Rockets.
Steve Kerr shared his perspective on the bang-bang play between Butler and Thompson before talking about Houston's physicality throughout the game.
“Haven't seen the replay. I asked our guys behind the bench, they said it looked like there was some physicality on the rebound. I think Thompson just inadvertently found himself underneath Jimmy in the tug-of-war that was going on there,” Kerr said. “Houston played great. Really physical, just like we expected. They came out with amazing force defensively. Obviously [Jalen] Green got going, and that loosened our defense quite a bit. It was their night. They played a great game on both ends of the floor. So we just got to lick our wounds and back to work tomorrow.”
The Jalen Green piece is a disturbing wrinkle for Golden State. After holding Green to seven points on 3-of-15 shooting, the fourth-year guard torched the Dubs for 38 points in Game 2. No Warrior could stay in front of Green as he not only hit eight threes, but he also got right to the rim with little resistance. As much as Butler could have helped with preventing Green from hunting mismatches against Quentin Post or Buddy Hield, the Warriors weren't bothering him at all around the perimeter.
On the other end, the Warriors had some inexplicably bad turnovers even before Butler left the game. Stephen Curry and Draymond Green combined for 11 of the Warriors' 15 turnovers, which happens to primary ball-handlers. But many of these turnovers were indefensible. They were loose with the ball, throwing errant passes that immediately put the Rockets on the fast break. It was sloppy all around, exemplified by Curry's odd but obvious traveling violation at halfcourt.
Jonathan Kuminga's poor outing
Earlier this week, Kerr told reporters that “things can change in a heartbeat in the NBA.” That statement was proved true as soon as Butler hit the deck, opening the doors for Jonathan Kuminga to prove to everyone why he shouldn't have been benched. But after 26 minutes and 11 points on a 4-of-12 performance that looked even worse than the box score indicates, it's hard to argue against the decision to cut him out of the rotation.
Kuminga missed makeable shot after makeable shot around the rim. He wasn't boxing out on the defensive boards nor running in transition effectively. There was one play where he tipped Curry's pass intended for Gui Santos right to Houston, who subsequently ran the break right into an easy layup. Throw in the arguing with the officials on clear non-calls, it was hardly an encouraging night for Kuminga and the Warriors
It's a new low in the Kuminga-Warriors saga. It's only been three weeks since Green said that Kuminga “takes this team to another level,” and “that's what stars do” when talking about his performance versus the Los Angeles Lakers in his post-game press conference. But the craziest part about this whole situation? The Warriors still need Kuminga.
With Butler's availability in this series in jeopardy, the Dubs desperately need the high upside version he's shown glimpses of. The guy who's engaged on defense. The guy who's cutting to the rim and finding the shooters in transition. Warriors are begging for the speed, size, and athleticism Kuminga can theoretically offer them.
Butler's injury, as cold as it sounds to say, is an opportunity for Kuminga. He'll get another chance in Game 3 if Butler's out but everything about his Game 2 is a red flag for him and the Warriors' playoff lives.
What Jimmy Butler's injury means for the Warriors
While Butler's injury overshadows the Warriors' fundamental issues in Game 2, their chances of advancing are slim if Butler misses the rest of the series.
In the same press conference, Kerr explained the tactical significance of Butler's potential absence.
“If Jimmy’s out, we have to rethink everything — rotations, who starts, the best combinations,” Kerr said. On the fly in Game 2, Kerr went with Kuminga as well as Pat Spencer. While Kuminga was a disappointment, Spencer was a pleasant surprise. Spencer gave the Warriors 11 points and some surprising dribble penetration. He's not the answer to Butler, he was primarily in for Brandin Podziemski, who dealt with the aftereffects of food poisoning all night long.
Regardless, Butler's status for Game 3 in jeopardy. He's been diagnosed with a pelvic contusion, the same injury Curry had earlier this season. According to Dr. Nirav Pandya, who often follows and logs the Warriors himself, he offered an optimistic insight on Butler’s potential injury and return.
Re: questions re: return to play timelines for Jimmy Butler. Assuming there are no fractures seen on imaging, it can be a quick turnaround (i.e. next game) if a player is able to tolerate discomfort and perform basketball activities.
— Dr. Nirav Pandya, M.D. (@DrNiravPandya) April 24, 2025
Still, there's no guarantee Butler's returns to play right away. Curry missed two games earlier this season with his pelvic contusion. So, as Kerr stated in his press conference, it's up in the air.
“Jimmy always says he's gonna be fine. We have to wait and see with the MRI.”
