The Golden State Warriors suffered a tough 109-94 loss to the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night, missing a chance to take a 2-0 series lead in their first-round playoff matchup. The Warriors struggled early, scoring only 18 points in the first quarter and falling behind by double digits. The situation worsened when star forward Jimmy Butler exited the game late in the first quarter with a pelvic contusion after a hard fall during a rebound attempt. He did not return, leaving Golden State shorthanded.
With Butler sidelined and guard Brandin Podziemski limited due to illness, the Warriors couldn’t mount a comeback. Now, their attention turns to Butler’s MRI results on Thursday, which will determine his availability for Game 3 on Saturday in San Francisco.
In Butler’s absence, head coach Steve Kerr turned to Jonathan Kuminga, who had been benched for the Warriors’ previous three games. Kuminga played 26 minutes in his 2025 playoff debut, contributing 11 points, three rebounds, and two assists.
After the game, Kerr was asked if Kuminga would remain in the rotation if Butler misses extended time. “We’ll see how it all plays out,” Kerr responded. “If Jimmy’s out, we’ll have to rethink everything.” His noncommittal answer leaves room for speculation, but Kuminga is the likely candidate to fill Butler’s role—unless Kerr experiments with a different lineup.
For now, all eyes are on Butler’s injury update before the Warriors regroup for Game 3 at home.
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