It should come as no surprise to fans that he is willing to play through the pain, and is a massive reason why the Golden State Warriors are up 3-2 in the series.
Apr 20, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III (10) walks off the court after the game against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
“He was great the other night playing with an injury that, by the way, they’re saying he probably would have missed at least, you know, one to two weeks in the regular season,” revealed insider Anthony Slater on FanDuel’s Run It Back. “Like that, that, that pelvic contusion, glute contusion, whatever you want to call it, it’s hurting him.”
Butler has not played in 70 regular-season games since 2016-17, but aside from missing the first round against the Boston Celtics last season, he has always been available when his team needed him most.
His falling out with Pat Riley after that series last year was part of the reason why he demanded a trade and ended up on the Warriors.
Butler is clearly not playing at one hundred percent yet, but with him on the floor, the Warriors are expected to end the series at home on Friday night.
“He’s like scooting, like he’s like speed walking,” Slater continued. “So he’s hurting right now, but he’s playing.”