Jimmy Butler Had To Leave Game 2 With A Pelvis Injury After A Scary Fall Where Amen Thompson Cut Under His Legs While He Was Airborne
Kenneth Richmond. Getty Images.It's fairly obvious that the Warriors and the Rockets don't exactly like one another. That hatred is what makes their first round series so interesting. Ime talking shit to Steph, the Draymond vs Dillon Brooks factor, two physical defenses that know how to walk the fine line between dirty and plausible deniablity. Their first game was awesome, and with the Warriors heading into Game 2 with all the momentum and a chance to really put the pressure on the Rockets, there was no doubt that Wednesday night's battle was going to be just as much of a war.
Part of what made the Warriors so tough in Game 1 was the fact that they were able to get vintage performances from both Playoff Steph and Playoff Jimmy Butler. The way they dominated that first game was exactly what the Warriors entire plan was when they made the Butler trade. Two closers, to playoff risers, two alphas. Unfortunately, Steph is going to have to do things by himself in Game 2 after Jimmy Butler suffered a pretty nasty fall towards the end of the first quarter
Falling like that from that type of distance and landing directly on your back/tailbone like that is some scary stuff. I obviously have no idea what type of injury/recovery comes with a pelvis contusion, but given what it could have been instead, I'd say for that to be the initial diagnosis is a positive. You hate to see anyone get hurt, and when a guy is up in the air like that all you can do is hold your breath.
There's of course now a debate as to if this was an intentional and dirty play by Amen Thompson. I suppose you view that play depending on which team you're rooting for. Some day Draymond pushed slightly, others say there's no push and he was going after a guy's legs. I dunno, I just think it was one of those unfortunate plays that can happen in an NBA game. Reckless, but not intentional. Sort of like the KCP flagrant on Tatum. I don't think he meant to hurt Tatum on that play, but I do think he was reckless. Amen is sort of caught in a tough spot on that play where momentum sort of takes him into Jimmy Butler. I'm not sure he even realized what was happening and then decided this was his perfect opportunity to take Jimmy out. That feels far-fetched given it's not like Amen has a reputation for dirty plays.
If this was say, Dillon Brooks? We're probably having a different conversation.
I just hope we caught a prayer and Jimmy Butler isn't seriously hurt or has to miss a bunch of time. The playoffs have been so good in these first handful of games, all I want is to see everyone have healthy runs. I want to see the best of the best, and so far we're already starting to see guys go down. It sucks, but it's why winning a title is so hard. You need health, and you need luck. One play can change the entire outcome of a series or a season, and I really hope that's not what happened here.
