Stephen Curry leaned on Jimmy Butler — quite literally — after powering the Warriors to a 104-93 Game 3 victory over the Houston Rockets, giving Golden State a 2-1 edge in their first-round playoff series. With Butler sidelined due to injury, the two stars shared a heartfelt postgame moment, Curry resting his head on Butler’s shoulder.
Butler wasn’t in uniform but made his presence known courtside, donning a statement-making full-length fur coat. “Well first, he had a fantastic coat on,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr joked. “I thought he was going to be way too hot in that thing.”
Despite missing the game with a deep gluteal muscle contusion and pelvis soreness from a hard fall in Game 2, Butler remained engaged from the bench. Curry stepped up in his absence, putting up 36 points, five 3-pointers, nine assists, and seven rebounds across nearly 41 minutes of action. He was determined to carry the load if Butler couldn’t play — something the two stars could bond over, as both have dealt with nagging tailbone and back injuries.
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“I almost didn’t need a hot pack on the sideline sitting next to him,” Curry quipped. “There was plenty of heat emanating from him. He’s a savvy veteran with high IQ, and even when he’s not active, his presence and voice matter. We needed that energy.”
Coach Kerr remained noncommittal on Butler’s availability for Game 4, scheduled for Monday night. “He’s literally day-to-day,” Kerr said. “We have tomorrow off, and the night tip gives him a few extra hours, so we’ll see. I have no idea right now if he’s going to play.”
Butler had planned to go through his usual pregame routine behind closed doors on the team’s practice court. He underwent an MRI in the Bay Area on Thursday, one day after sustaining the injury during Game 2 in Houston.
