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Steve Kerr's Clear Message About Amen Thompson's Move That Hurt Jimmy Butler

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Rex Villas | Last updated Apr 24, 2025 6:44 AM ET

Game 2 of the first-round series between the Golden State Warriors and the Houston Rockets was a lopsided affair in favor of Jalen Green and company.

The Rockets leveled the series at 1-1 on Wednesday after a 109-94 takedown of Golden State, which could potentially move forward in the series without Jimmy Butler. The six-time NBA All-Star suffered a pelvic injury following a scary fall in the first quarter of Game 2 and missed the rest of the contest.

Butler appeared to land on his backside after his legs collided with Rockets forward Amen Thompson while going for a rebound.

While many Rockets fans believe that Thompson made an intentionally dirty play, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr seemingly doesn't subscribe to the same notion.

“We didn’t think there was anything wrong with the play," Kerr said after the game (h/t Sam Warren of the Houston Chronicle). "It was just one of those plays.”

Butler is reportedly set to undergo an MRI this Thursday, per Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. While Butler's status is unclear, the Warriors may have to prepare themselves for a Butler-less Game 3 at Chase Center in San Francisco.

Stephen Curry, as usual, carried most of the load offensively in Game 2, scoring 20 points on 6-for-15 shooting from the floor, but his fellow starters combined for only 23 points -- including eight from Butler.

If Butler ends up getting ruled out for Game 3 on Saturday, the likes of Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, Buddy Hield and Brandin Podziemski can expect an uptick in minutes and usage to help soften the blow of a potential absence by the former NBA Most Improved Player.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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