Warriors head back to Chase Center tied 1-1 with Rockets; Butler's injury concern takes center stage

A major injury shifting a Warriors-Rockets playoff series? That feels all too familiar.

The basketball gods have a twisted sense of humor. Just when it seemed the Warriors had stolen home court advantage in Game 1, the Rockets counterpunched in a physical Game 2 that left Golden State reeling—and potentially without their midseason savior.

Jalen Green, the high-flying 23-year-old who looked nervous in his playoff debut, transformed into a flamethrower Wednesday night, torching the Warriors for 38 points including eight three-pointers. The same guy who shot 3-of-15 in Game 1 couldn't miss, strutting and flexing after each momentum-swinging bucket as Houston evened the series with a 109-94 victory. He score 38 points on 13-of-25 shooting, including hitting 8-of-18 from beyond the arc. 18 three-point attempts! Talk about swinging haymakers.

But the real story was Jimmy Butler's scary fall late in the first quarter. After pulling down a defensive rebound, Butler had his legs taken out by Amen Thompson and crashed hard to the floor. The Warriors' trade deadline acquisition—who has completely revitalized their season—left with a pelvis contusion and is scheduled for an MRI in San Francisco today.

The Rockets' physically punishing style has been this series' defining characteristic. DeMarcus Cousins, former Warrior turned analyst, said it best: "I think the refs are letting too much go... I enjoy the physicality of it... but there are some plays that got missed." The Rockets have been allowed to grab, hold, and bang bodies while building a free throw advantage across both games.

Fred VanVleet apparently told Draymond the Warriors better pray Jimmy returns. That's rich coming from a Rockets team that's historically blamed their own playoff failures against Golden State on injuries to their stars.

The irony is palpable. Every time these franchises clash in the postseason, the basketball gods demand their pound of flesh from someone wearing blue and gold.

Remember Klay Thompson in 2015? Trevor Ariza's knee to his head led to a laceration requiring stitches. Thompson initially passed concussion protocols but later developed symptoms, including vomiting after arriving home. He couldn't even drive himself, requiring his father Mychal's help. The NBA's concussion protocol wasn't as robust then, highlighting the dangers of rushing players back.

Or how about Steph Curry in 2016? A freak slip on a wet spot during the first round against Houston resulted in an MCL sprain. The image of Curry pounding the floor in frustration remains seared in Warriors fans' memories. His absence nearly cost them the Oklahoma City series, and his diminished explosiveness was evident against Cleveland in that heartbreaking Finals loss.

Then there was Kevin Durant in 2019. With the Warriors up 3-2 against Houston, KD suffered a calf strain after landing from a jump shot. Though initially feared to be an Achilles injury, the diagnosis provided temporary relief. Durant never returned for that series, though the Warriors managed to eliminate Houston anyway. Of course, KD's attempted comeback in the Finals led to the catastrophic Achilles tear that altered his career trajectory.

That's playoff basketball, especially Warriors-Rockets playoff basketball. Now we wait on Butler's MRI results with Games 3 and 4 looming at Chase Center. The question is simple: can the Warriors overcome another postseason injury, or will this be their turn to wonder "what if?".

I also have another “what if?” for you: what if Jonathan Kuminga seizes any playing time missed by Butler and flourishes in a way that we know he’s capable of? It was just last December that he had a career night against Houston, looking like a dominant machine.

Last night he looked rusty after his extended absence from the rotation to end the season and start the playoffs. In 26 minutes he was 4-of-12 from the field with 11 points and didn’t make huge impact plays on the defensive end or in rebounding. We’ll wait to see if Butler can make a go of it on Saturday, but either way Kuminga needs to show us that he can be a factor when his number is called.

P.S. Pray for the bear.