The Golden State Warriors have provided an official update on Jimmy Butler’s availability for Game 3 of their series with the Houston Rockets.
After leaving Game 2 early with a muscle contusion, he has officially been ruled out for Game 3 on Saturday night.
The Golden State Warriors will rule Jimmy Butler out of Game 3 against the Houston Rockets tonight (8:30 pm ET, ABC), sources tell ESPN. Jonathan Kuminga is starting in his place. https://t.co/o8HygwksMN
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 26, 2025
Young forward Jonathan Kuminga will replace Butler in the starting lineup.
The Warriors enter Game 3 tied at 1-1 in the series after splitting the first two games with the Rockets on the road in Houston.
The team will head back home to Golden State where the franchise has historically been great in the playoffs.
As the seventh seed in the conference, taking care of business at home in the next two games is vital for them to pull off the upset.
However, without Butler, the team will need even more than they are already getting with Stephen Curry and will also need Kuminga and other role players to step up.
Butler since being acquired mid-season has helped revitalize the franchise, providing great energy, versatility, and grit on both ends of the floor.
He is also most well-known for his ability to raise his game in the playoffs, making him a huge miss for the Warriors if he continues to miss games.
If he is ruled out for multiple games, Game 3 could be a huge turning point in the series for the Warriors, as it could be a huge confidence boost or a huge downswing for the team’s morale depending on the result.
No matter what happens tonight, the rest of this series and any potential future series will be much more difficult without Butler available.
The injury description doesn’t sound too serious, so it seems likely he returns soon, but it is also possible the team isn’t giving out the full information on the injury.
The Houston Rockets in general have been a physical team during this series, doing their best to make things difficult for the Warriors. It will be interesting to watch how things change with the Warriors now playing at home, both from a refereeing perspective, and a Warriors perspective.
Look for them to turn up the intensity in this Game 3 to try and come out and take control of the series. Without Butler, they are losing a significant talent advantage, so that might be the best way to overcome his loss.
With how experienced Steph Curry and Draymond Green are in the playoffs, Warriors fans should be confident the team can work together to overcome this significant loss.
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