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Jimmy Butler did not play in the Golden State Warriors' 104-93 Game 3 win over the Houston Rockets on Saturday night due to his deep gluteal muscle contusion. The Warriors star suffered this injury in the team's Game 2 loss after a scary-looking fall while attempting to grab a rebound.
There was a lot of concern for the Dubs when Butler left the game and was quickly ruled out while being evaluated in the locker room. He even flew back to San Francisco the same night as this game in Houston to undergo further testing while the Warriors remained behind and flew back on Friday.
While further imaging revealed this deep muscle contusion, the good news was that Butler avoided any serious injury or fractures.
The Warriors and Butler were optimistic about his potential availability for Game 3 on Saturday night upon undergoing further imaging and tests on Friday. He was being considered day-to-day heading into this matchup with this injury.
If it was his decision, Butler would have played in this key Game 3 against the Rockets. However, Butler was held out by the Warriors' medical staff and wasn't ultimately given the green light to give his body more time to heal, league sources told ClutchPoints.
Although he was feeling better and moving better than he had been in recent days since the injury, Butler was still grimacing and dealing with some discomfort. Butler was even working out on a practice court pregame, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic.
Since he was not 100 percent, Golden State believed it was in everyone's best interest to allow further time for Butler's body to heal. A lot of optimism exists regarding Butler potentially making his injury return for Game 4 on Monday, sources said. He will be listed on the injury report before this game.
Despite not playing on Saturday, Butler remained engaged on the Warriors' bench. He was seen multiple times jumping right up off the bench during big plays on the court, and he was consistently celebrating with his teammates. Between having fun with his teammates and walking around in the bench area, Butler showed no visible impairments, nor has he faced a situation where he hasn't had full mobility.
Butler is a tough player, and he has always fought through injury in his career. At the same time, he will do what's best for his team and fully take advice from medical personnel.
The Warriors believed having an extra two days of rest would allow him to be fully available for Game 4. That is why he took on a leadership role while sitting on the bench.
Jimmy Butler's impact despite not playing in Game 3
After the win, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr gave high praise for Butler's leadership and engagement despite not playing. Kerr made it clear that he sees a lot of Andre Iguodala, who held a vital role in the Dubs' championship runs over the last decade, in Butler.
“First, he had a fantastic coat on. He's so smart,” Kerr stated in his postgame remarks. “He reminds me so much of Andre Iguodala, incredible basketball IQ and the ability to communicate what he's seeing to see his teammates from the bench.”
Butler is always fully engaged with his coaches and teammates behind the scenes. Whether it is during games or in practice, Butler is always teaching the young players on Golden State's roster, and he has been the perfect veteran presence for Stephen Curry and Draymond Green as well.
That, along with his understanding of the game, is why Kerr made this comparison to Iguodala.
Without Butler playing, the Warriors received key contributions from Gary Payton II, Buddy Hield, and Quinten Post. Hield made an impact with 17 points and five made triples off the bench, and Payton stepped up in a big way on both ends of the floor. He scored a playoff career-high 16 points and continued to make all the little plays to lift Golden State in the second half.
Although Steph had a great game, leading the way with 36 points, Kerr made it clear that this was a team win forged by the effort of those who filled Butler's minutes — Payton, Hield, and Post.
“(The) Playoffs are about injuries and guys stepping up. Tonight, we had both.”
The big question with the Warriors leading the Rockets 2-1 in this playoff series is whether Butler will be available for Game 4 on Monday night in San Francisco. Kerr said after the game that Butler is “day-to-day” and will have an extra day to rest with the team off on Sunday.
Butler wanted to play on Saturday, but he wasn't going to force his way onto the court. If the Warriors' medical staff advised that he rest and miss the game, he would do so. That is what occurred before Game 3, which is why Butler did not suit up and play, sources said.
Even so, the belief from Golden State on Friday night and heading into Saturday was that the All-Star forward would be available. Now that he has extra time to rest and prepare, there is a lot of optimism surrounding his potential return for Game 4 of this series, a game in which the Warriors could jump into a 3-1 lead over the Rockets with a win.
