Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry, foreground, celebrates with injured ahead Jimmy Butler III after Recreation 3 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff collection in opposition to the Houston Rockets in San Francisco, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Picture/Jeff Chiu)
SAN FRANCISCO — Steph Curry closed his eyes and rested his drained head on Jimmy Butler’s proper shoulder because the superstars shared one other postgame second.
This time, with Butler injured and carrying road garments — a full-length fur coat at that.
“Nicely first, he had a incredible coat on,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr stated. “I assumed he was going to be approach too scorching in that factor.”
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STEPH PUTS ON A SHOW IN THE BAY 💯🙌
🏀 36 PTS
🏀 9 AST
🏀 7 REB
🏀 5 3PM
🏀 2 BLK@warriors take a 2-1 collection lead! pic.twitter.com/v9QtUxlGQU— NBA (@NBA) April 27, 2025
Sidelined for Recreation 3 of Golden State’s first-round playoff collection in opposition to the Houston Rockets, Butler had a front-row seat to observe his teammate take over Saturday night time in a 104-93 win that gave the Warriors a 2-1 lead.
Curry scored 36 factors with 5 3-pointers and had 9 assists and 7 rebounds in almost 41 minutes. He had been decided to do extra if Butler couldn’t play after injuring his pelvis and struggling a deep gluteal muscle contusion in a tough fall throughout Recreation 2.
Butler and Curry can evaluate notes on their injured backsides, provided that Curry has handled a bruised tailbone a number of occasions. For now, Curry appreciates the help, whether or not Butler is in uniform or not.
And the fur Butler was carrying?
“I nearly didn’t want a scorching pack on the sideline sitting subsequent to him. There was loads of warmth emanating from him,” Curry stated earlier than including, “He’s a savvy veteran, high-IQ man, he’s bought a presence whether or not he’s energetic or not the place his voice issues, and we would have liked him to raise all people up on the bench and provides us that power. His presence matched the match for certain.”
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Kerr wasn’t able to guess whether or not Butler will be capable to play in Recreation 4 on Monday night time.
“He’s actually day-to-day. We have now tomorrow off. It will likely be useful for him to have one other day, after which it’s an evening sport,” Kerr stated. “So he will get a couple of additional hours. So we’ll see. I don’t know proper now if he’s going to play.”
Butler had been set to undergo his pregame routine, which he does out of sight on the group’s follow court docket and never the enjoying flooring earlier than video games at Chase Heart. He had an MRI examination Thursday within the Bay Space a day after he was harm in Houston.
“We needed to have Jimmy’s again whereas he was out,” stated Gary Payton II, who scored 11 of his 16 factors within the fourth quarter. “Hopefully we get Jimmy again for Recreation 4 and get again to our commonly scheduled program.”
Jonathan Kuminga, who didn’t play for 3 straight video games earlier than rejoining the rotation in Recreation 2 when Butler bought harm, was within the beginning lineup for his fourth profession playoff begin.
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Butler went down arduous when he was fouled by Amen Thompson late within the first quarter after which missed the remainder of the Warriors’ 109-94 Recreation 2 loss on Wednesday night time.
Butler tried to safe a rebound when Thompson undercut him and despatched the Warriors star’s ft excessive into the air in order that he got here down straight onto his tailbone. Each gamers thudded to the ground and Butler grimaced in ache, grabbing at his bottom. He stayed in briefly to shoot two free throws earlier than going to the locker room.
Kerr appreciated Butler’s perception on the bench.
“Jimmy is so sensible. He jogs my memory a lot of Andre Iguodala,” Kerr stated. “Unimaginable basketball IQ after which the power to speak what he’s seeing to his teammates on the bench. I assumed Jimmy was essential for us tonight in that regard. He was speaking to guys all through the sport, and giving them recommendation, giving some assist, and that was large.”
Within the Recreation 1 win in opposition to the Rockets, Butler had 25 factors on 10-for-19 capturing, seven rebounds, six assists and 5 steals in 42 minutes. The Warriors are 26-9 since Butler made his debut at Chicago on Feb. 8, together with 23-8 within the common season, a play-in event win over Memphis and the three video games in opposition to Houston.
“We all know they’re nonetheless harmful with out Butler, in order that doesn’t change something so far as that,” Rockets coach Ime Udoka stated. “We didn’t make them pay, particularly with the paint pictures.”
