The vibes were sky-high in the Bay when Jimmy Butler III landed midseason and gave the Golden State Warriors a second wind. But after a scary fall in Game 2 against the Houston Rockets, the Dubs are staring down a gut-check moment.
With the series tied 1-1 and Game 3 back home at the Chase Center, all eyes are locked on one question: Is Butler suiting up tonight, or are the Warriors about to face the Rockets without their ace?
Warriors Facing Dilemma About Butler Ahead of Pivotal Game 3
Let’s get the basics out of the way first: the latest Golden State Warriors injury report lists three names. Steph Curry: Available. Thumb splint and all, the chef is ready to cook. Gary Payton II: Questionable with a right shoulder strain. And Butler: Also questionable with a deep glute muscle contusion. Yeah, not exactly reassuring heading into a swing game.
After Butler crashed hard following a collision with Amen Thompson in Game 2, fans feared the worst. MRI results, though, brought some much-needed relief: no structural damage. Just a nasty contusion, that’s all about pain management at this point. According to experts, this kind of injury is usually more about pain tolerance than physical limitations. So technically, Butler could play tonight if he can gut it out.
Head coach Steve Kerr added more fuel to the hope train, saying, “Jimmy always says he’s fine,” hinting at the veteran’s no-excuses mentality. But even the toughest dudes have limits.
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
And given how much Butler means to this Warriors squad, it’s a decision that’s walking a very fine line between heroic and risky.
Can the Warriors Survive If Butler Sits Out?
Let’s be real, Butler isn’t just another body in the rotation. Since he landed in the Warriors’ squad, he’s been the heart, soul, and swagger of this team. He owned the court with a 25-point, 7-rebound, 6-assist, 5-steal performance in Game 1. Peak Butler was at play there. Without him, the Dubs’ home-court dominance takes a serious hit.
Should Butler sit out, Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, and Brandin Podziemski will need to step into the spotlight. The Warriors can still throw punches, but without Butler’s energy, playmaking, and late-game toughness, it’s gonna take a near-perfect effort to avoid falling behind 2-1 in the series.
Bottom line: Whether Butler plays or not could tilt Game 3 and maybe even the series. If Jimmy decides to grit it out, expect the Chase Center to absolutely erupt. If not, get ready for the Dubs to try and win an old-school scrap without their heavyweight.