Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr provided a cautious update on Jimmy Butler’s status following the team’s 109-94 loss to the Houston Rockets in Game 2 of the first-round playoff series.
Butler exited late in the first quarter after a hard fall during a rebounding battle, suffering a pelvis contusion that ruled him out for the remainder of the game.
Kerr addressed the media postgame and confirmed that Butler will undergo an MRI on Thursday to determine the severity of the injury.
“Obviously feel terrible for Jimmy. Hopefully he’s okay. We’ll see,” Kerr said during his press conference, per official postgame transcripts.
When asked if he had spoken to Butler directly, Kerr added, “Jimmy always says he’s going to be fine. But we have to wait to see with the MRI.”
The injury occurred during a physical sequence under the basket, where Rockets guard Amen Thompson was involved in the collision.
Kerr stated he had not yet reviewed the replay but was told by staff that there was “some physicality on the rebound” and didn’t believe there was anything malicious on the play.
Golden State was already dealing with adversity as Brandin Podziemski was held out most of the game due to illness, receiving IV treatment at halftime.
“He’s been feeling terrible all day,” Kerr said of Podziemski, who finished scoreless in 14 minutes after scoring 14 in Game 1.
Without Butler and Podziemski, the Warriors struggled to generate consistent offense, with Stephen Curry finishing as the team’s top scorer with 20 points and nine assists.
Houston’s defense aggressively blitzed Curry throughout the game, forcing turnovers and keeping Golden State off balance.
Jalen Green led all scorers with 38 points and eight three-pointers as the Rockets evened the series 1-1 ahead of Saturday’s Game 3 in San Francisco.
Kerr declined to speculate on potential rotation changes if Butler is ruled out for Game 3 but acknowledged the need to “rethink everything” should that scenario arise.
Jonathan Kuminga may see a larger role if Butler is sidelined, as Kerr praised the young forward for staying ready and contributing meaningful minutes.
“This is the playoffs. It’s incredibly physical,” Kerr said. “People get injured. You feel bad, but you have to move on to what’s next.”
Game 3 will be held at Chase Center, where the Warriors hope to regain momentum on their home floor.
