The Golden State Warriors can finally breathe after getting some news on veteran forward Jimmy Butler.
Butler suffered a hard fall that forced him out of Game 2's 109–94 loss against the Houston Rockets and put his future status in jeopardy. Butler was diagnosed with a pelvic contusion at the time and was scheduled to undergo an MRI on Thursday.
The MRI results are in, and Butler is reportedly dealing with a "deep glute muscle contusion," according to NBA insider Shams Charania.
Butler's status for Game 3 against the Rockets is in "serious jeopardy," but the silver lining is that his new diagnosis bodes well for his availability later on in the first-round playoff series. The MRI showed that Butler "avoided any fracture or structural damage," which is arguably a positive outcome all things considered.
Butler tallied 25 points, seven rebounds and six assists in 42 minutes in the Warriors' Game 1 win. Chances seem high that Butler could sit out for Game 3 in San Francisco on Saturday night, but Golden State has to feel pretty good about Butler returning in time to save the team's season.