Warriors' Jimmy Butler Suffers Pelvis Contusion in Game 2 Loss, MRI Scheduled for Friday

 HOUSTON -- Golden State Warriors star Jimmy Butler sustained a painful pelvis contusion after a hard fall in the first quarter, forcing him to exit Game 2 as the Rockets dominated the Warriors 109-94 on Wednesday night, evening the first-round playoff series at 1-1.

Butler, who has been instrumental in the Warriors' playoff push, is now scheduled to undergo an MRI examination Thursday in San Francisco to determine the severity of the injury.

"Obviously feel terrible for Jimmy," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said following the loss. "Hopefully he's OK. We'll see."

The concerning injury occurred with 2:28 remaining in the first quarter when Butler leaped high to secure a defensive rebound following Amen Thompson's missed attempt. Thompson, who was battling with Draymond Green for rebounding position, collided with Butler in mid-air, undercutting him and causing the Warriors star to crash hard onto his tailbone area.

Butler remained in visible pain on the court but managed to briefly continue playing, making one of two free throws before signaling to come out with 1:51 remaining in the quarter and the Warriors trailing 24-16. He moved gingerly to the locker room while holding his lower back area and was officially ruled out for the remainder of the game during the second quarter.

The loss of Butler after just eight minutes of play proved devastating for Golden State's chances in Game 2, as Houston took full advantage to secure the emphatic victory and level the series.

Butler's Critical Importance to Warriors' Success

Butler will now have two days to recover before the series shifts to Chase Center in San Francisco for Game 3 on Saturday night. His availability remains uncertain, creating significant lineup questions for coach Kerr and the Warriors' staff.

When asked if Jonathan Kuminga could potentially start if Butler remains sidelined, Kerr acknowledged the significant adjustments that would be necessary.

"If Jimmy's out, we have to rethink everything," Kerr stated. "Like rotations, who starts and the best combinations and all that stuff."

Kuminga, who had fallen out of the regular rotation late in the regular season, played 26 minutes in Game 2 and contributed 11 points, showing potential as a replacement option.

Draymond Green offered a positive outlook after speaking with Butler post-game, telling reporters his teammate insisted he would be fine.

"Jimmy's only going to tell you he feels good," Green said. "We'll see. He's given me zero reasons to not believe anything he says, so I do believe him."

Injury Similar to Previous Curry Experience

The injury has concerning parallels to a similar situation Stephen Curry experienced in previous seasons. Curry has suffered multiple tailbone injuries throughout his career, including a hairline fracture and deep contusion that sidelined him for multiple games.

"I've had that happen a couple of times," Curry acknowledged, referencing his own tailbone injuries. "And you know exactly what it is. It's just a matter of how bad it was, and I don't know [the severity of Butler's injury], but it definitely changed the dynamic of our offense."

Butler's absence would be particularly devastating given his transformative impact on the Warriors since joining the team. Golden State has gone 25-8 (including regular-season, play-in and postseason games) since Butler made his Warriors debut on February 8 in Chicago.

His arrival has rejuvenated Curry while stabilizing the critical non-Curry minutes for Kerr. Butler has also partnered with Green to elevate Golden State's defense to first in the NBA since his Warriors debut.

"Playoff Jimmy" in Full Effect

Butler had been delivering his trademark "Playoff Jimmy" performances prior to the injury, beginning with 30 points and nine assists in the regular-season finale against the Clippers. He followed that with a dominant 38-point, 7-rebound, 6-assist showing in the play-in victory over Memphis, and contributed 25 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists and 5 steals in Golden State's crucial Game 1 road win over Houston.

The Warriors' rotation suffered additional disruption when starting guard Brandin Podziemski was limited to just 14 minutes due to illness. Kerr revealed Podziemski became ill from something he ate and required an IV at halftime. Despite attempting to play through the sickness, Podziemski managed only six minutes in the second half and went 0-for-5 from the field.

Despite the Game 2 setback, the Warriors return to San Francisco having accomplished their goal of securing home-court advantage by splitting the first two games on the road. However, their championship aspirations may now hinge on Butler's rapid recovery.

"Hopefully Jimmy will be able to play," Kerr said, summarizing the situation. "But if not, then we've got to go through our options and put together a plan."