Warriors’ Title Hopes Dimmed by Butler’s Injury
SAN FRANCISCO — The Warriors may have seen their chances for a championship take a serious hit on Monday night.
Star Jimmy Butler suffered an ACL tear during a game against the Heat, with the Warriors winning 135-112, according to ESPN.com.
Butler, 36, left the court after injuring his right knee just over seven minutes into the third quarter while playing against his previous team.
His injury occurred when he caught a pass in the paint and collided with Davion Mitchell of the Heat, causing him to fall awkwardly and be called for a foul.
After the incident, Butler sought a couple of free throws, a potential positive sign for Coach Steve Kerr, who expressed hope that “that’s a good sign.”
“We’re all very worried, but we’ll learn more after the MRI,” Kerr remarked. “Everyone is staying calm despite the injury and waiting for updates.”
Butler’s knees buckled on landing, and he remained on the floor for several minutes, visibly pained as he clutched his knees.
Following the fall, he needed help from teammates Gary Payton II and Buddy Hield to reach the locker room.
When he finally stood with assistance, he couldn’t put weight on his knees, which was troubling to those watching.
“That’s something I’ve never seen before. Usually, you’d expect him to get up and walk off the court, even if he couldn’t finish the game,” Stephen Curry noted. “I just told him to take his time and assess what he needed right then.”
“It’s kind of funny how he kept cracking jokes, even while dealing with the injury. That’s just classic Jimmy. He always manages to lighten the mood, no matter how dire the situation. Even in tough moments, he still tries to find humor.” Butler had managed to score 17 points in just under 21 minutes of play, shooting 6-of-11, along with four assists and three rebounds.
He is currently the second-leading scorer for Golden State, averaging 20.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.9 assists before this week.
At present, the Warriors hold the 8th seed in the Western Conference, sporting a record of 25 wins and 19 losses.
Butler, who was brought over from the Heat last season, was expected to boost the team’s experience as they age. He contributed to the Warriors reaching the Western Conference semifinals last season; however, an injury to Curry early in the playoff series against the Timberwolves halted their momentum.
This injury situation adds more speculation about whether the Warriors might consider making significant trades ahead of the deadline.
Additionally, earlier this week, Jonathan Kuminga voiced his desire for a trade due to dissatisfaction with his current role on the team.
“He’s the alpha. He has a presence that everyone recognizes in the league,” Kerr said regarding Butler. “We might miss him for some time. We do have depth, and we’re showing that right now. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens next.”
