Can Jimmy Butler miss entire first-round series between Warriors and Rockets? Exploring pelvic injury timeline

The Golden State Warriors played the majority of Game 2 without Jimmy Butler, who suffered a pelvic injury in the first quarter. Butler was diagnosed with a pelvic contusion after a hard fall eight minutes into the game. Can "Jimmy Buckets" miss the rest of the series against the Houston Rockets?

According to The Athletic's Anthony Slater, Butler is scheduled to get an MRI on his pelvis. It's the first time that the Warriors' medical team has faced a pelvic contusion this season. Steph Curry missed two games late in the season after a hard fall against the Rockets.

Jonathan Kuminga missed a game because of the same kind of injury. That should be a sigh of relief for Warriors fans for now, with Slater explaining that it's all about pain management for Butler moving forward. The team is also hoping that the injury is not more serious than initially thought.

Dr. Nirav Pandya, a professor of orthopedic surgery at the University of California, San Francisco, tweeted details about what a pelvic contusion is. He pointed out Steph Curry's injury toward the end of the regular season, which caused bruising and inflammation to his pelvic bones and muscles.

If there are no additional damages or injury to the pelvis, it's all about pain management for Jimmy Butler. The Golden State Warriors' medical staff will focus on alleviating the pain for Butler, who will have three days of rest before Game 3 at home.

The Warriors have homecourt advantage after stealing Game 1, which comes in handy for the next two games. If Butler misses Game 3, Steve Kerr will likely make some changes to his starting lineup. Jonathan Kuminga could earn more minutes since he plays the same position as Butler.

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Jimmy Butler might miss Game 3

Jimmy Butler might miss Game 3. (Photo: IMAGN)

Game 3 of the first-round series between the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets is scheduled on Saturday at the Chase Center. The Warriors will have three days to figure out what to do with Jimmy Butler.

According to physical therapist Jeff Mueller, there's a potential danger for Butler to miss Game 3 because of his injury. Having an extra day of rest helps the veteran forward, but it's all about his pain tolerance and mobility before the game.

"Playoff Jimmy" is a different animal, but health comes first. If he gets cleared to play, it's great news for the Warriors and their chances of taking the lead in the series. If he doesn't, Steve Kerr will make adjustments to his starting lineup and rotation.