1 week Ago
The Golden State Warriors might be the lower seed in their first round matchup in the NBA Playoffs against the Houston Rockets, but many view them as the favorite due to their vast playoff experience and star duo of Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler. However, the Rockets had a stellar regular season and won't go down without a fight. After the Warriors captured Game 1 in a low-scoring effort, the Rockets bounced back with a win in Game 2 to even the series 1-1 heading to Golden State.
However, Butler left Game 2 in the first quarter due to injury, and his much-anticipated status for Game 3 has finally been released with tip-off approaching. ESPN's Shams Charania reports that the Warriors have ruled out Butler for Game 3, as the star forward deals with a deep glute muscle contusion. Butler, a premier playoff performer, puts Golden State in a tough spot without his presence on the court.
It's set to be Butler's first missed game since March 1st, when the Warriors fell 126-119 to the Philadelphia 76ers. Golden State held a 23-7 record in the regular season with Butler active, and was 2-0 through the play-in tournament and Game 1 before his early-exit in Game 2. As they did when he was sidelined in Game 2, the Warriors will have to rely upon forward Jonathan Kuminga, whose role has decreased significantly since Butler's arrival in Golden State.
Tip-off in San Francisco is set for 8:30 p.m. EST.
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