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When Jimmy Butler was undercut during a battle for a rebound in Game 2, there was much concern about his physical well-being and whether or not he'd be able to suit up for the rest of the Golden State Warriors' first-round matchup against the Houston Rockets. Butler was ruled out for the rest of Game 2 and the entirety of Game 3, but he made a quick recovery as he returned to the Warriors' lineup in Game 4 on Monday night.
Butler's presence was very much welcome; he led the Warriors in scoring with 27 points, hauled in the most crucial defensive board of the game after Draymond Green's incredible defensive stop on Alperen Sengun, and made crucial free throws to help lead the Dubs to a 109-106 win, extending their lead in the series to 3-1.
The 35-year-old showed little to no signs of being bothered by his pelvic injury, which is a good sign as the Warriors look to put the Rockets away for good this coming Wednesday. This is a borderline miracle as well, as head coach Steve Kerr revealed that if this were the regular season, Butler would have needed more time off to recuperate before they brought him back.
“We had to have him. If this were the regular season, he'd probably miss another week or two. But it's the playoffs. It's Jimmy Butler. This is what he does. The rebound at the end was just incredible. The elevation, the force. And of course, knocking down the free throws to clinch it. Jimmy was just amazing,” Kerr said in his postgame presser, via 95.7 The Game on X (formerly Twitter).
Steve Kerr on Jimmy Butler: “If this were the regular season, he'd probably miss another week or two. But it's the playoffs.” pic.twitter.com/AGfHI172v2
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) April 29, 2025
Butler has endured plenty of physical ailments before during the playoffs and has given it his all, and he's even gone as far as to say that he would die for this Warriors team. We are definitely seeing him walk the talk with the way he's powering through his injury.
Playoff Jimmy is a different animal and the Warriors love having him
Jimmy Butler was such a seamless fit on the Warriors' roster from day one; he does all the dirty work well, operates without much fuss off the ball, and he knows his place on the team — he is the ultimate support and glue guy for Stephen Curry who can take over the game when Batman needs help.
A closeout game on the road is not unfamiliar territory for Butler, Curry, and Draymond Green, and they will look to finish the Rockets off before they get any ideas of a 3-1 comeback.
