Warriors forward Jimmy Butler has fortunately avoided a serious injury, but his availability for Game 3 against the Houston Rockets remains uncertain.
The Warriors announced on Friday that an MRI revealed Butler suffered a contusion to his pelvis and deep gluteal muscles. His status for Saturday’s matchup at Chase Center is currently listed as questionable.
This follows a Thursday night report from ESPN’s Shams Charania, who, citing a league source, said Butler had a deep glute muscle contusion and might not be able to play in Saturday’s game. However, the MRI showed no pelvic fractures or major structural issues.
Before these updates, Tristi Rodriguez of NBC Sports Bay Area spoke with Dr. Marc Safran of Stanford Medicine, who discussed a potential timeline for the 35-year-old’s return.
“Without knowing the full extent of the injury, I’d say if there’s no structural damage and it’s mainly inflammation, it’ll come down to pain management and how well he can perform through the discomfort,” Dr. Safran said. “Butler’s driven and eager to get back, so he’ll return as soon as it’s safe and won’t risk further injury.
“If the MRI confirms there’s no structural harm, the focus will be on controlling the inflammation and pain to get him back on the court.
“Could he play in the next game? It’s not impossible. But with the nature of this injury, recovery can take anywhere from a week to three. Still, the team will likely do everything they can to accelerate his recovery.”
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