The Warriors’ pursuit of a first-round upset over the Rockets may have taken a serious hit in Game 2.
After quickly getting comfortable in Golden State’s lineup, Jimmy Butler could miss some time with an injury he suffered late in the first quarter. Butler took a scary fall after a mid-air collision and attempted to keep playing before exiting the game for good.
Without Butler, the Warriors suffered a 109-94 loss, as the Rockets tied the series at one game apiece. Now, the focus shifts to Butler’s availability for Game 3 and the remainder of the series.
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Here is the latest on Butler, his injury, and what is known about his potential return to the court.
What is Jimmy Butler’s injury?
Butler’s injury is a pelvic contusion, the Warriors announced Wednesday. An MRI revealed Thursday that Butler is dealing with a deep glute muscle contusion, avoiding structural damage, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported.
The injury occurred late in the first quarter as Butler attempted to rebound a miss from Houston’s Amen Thompson. With Butler in the air, Thompson appears to trip and then falls into Butler, undercutting him and causing the hard fall.
Jimmy Butler hit the ground hard after being undercut by Amen Thompson ? pic.twitter.com/Icd2wBF50U
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) April 24, 2025
Thompson was called for a loose-ball foul, and Butler remained on the ground in evident pain before getting up to shoot the free throws.
Butler moved gingerly on the next few possessions and was subbed out of the game before limping to the locker room and exiting the game for good. He finished with three points and two rebounds in eight minutes of action.
Since joining the Warriors, Butler has missed just one game: a 126-119 loss to the 76ers on March 1. His status for a pivotal Game 3 could alter the series’ direction.
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How long is Jimmy Butler out?
Butler avoided structural damage, an MRI revealed Thursday, but his status for Game 3 is in “serious jeopardy,” Charania reported.
“Jimmy always says he’s gonna be fine,” Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said postgame. “We have to wait and see with the MRI.”
Warriors insider Anthony Slater pointed out that the team has dealt with similar injuries recently — in late March, Stephen Curry missed two games and Jonathan Kuminga missed one game, each with a pelvic contusion.
The Warriors “don’t feel like this is anything worse than what Steph dealt with a few weeks back,” according to NBA insider Brett Siegel. Golden State believes the extra day between Games 2 and 3 will be beneficial.
Should the MRI not reveal any serious damage, Butler’s potential return to the lineup will be a matter of pain management.
Warriors vs. Rockets series schedule
The teams have a two-day break between Games 2 and 3 before playing every other day for the remainder of the series.
| Date | Game | Time (ET) | TV channel |
| Sunday, April 20 | Warriors 95, Rockets 85 | ||
| Wednesday, April 23 | Rockets 109, Warriors 94 | ||
| Saturday, April 26 | Game 3 at Warriors | 8:30 p.m. | ABC |
| Monday, April 28 | Game 4 at Warriors | 10 p.m. | TNT |
| Wednesday, April 30 | Game 5 at Rockets | 7:30 p.m. | TNT |
| Friday, May 2 | Game 6 at Warriors* | TBD | TBD |
| Sunday, May 4 | Game 7 at Rockets* | TBD | TBD |
*If necessary.
