When Jimmy Butler hit the ground in Game 2 of the Warriors’ first-round series against the Rockets, it didn’t look like he’d be back on the court any time soon. So when Golden State cleared him to return from his pelvic contusion for Game 4 on Monday, it seemed very reasonable to question just how much the six-time All-Star could contribute in the heat of a nasty, physical series against a Houston team that would be fighting tooth and nail to avoid falling into a 3-1 hole.
“A lot of pain,” Butler said of the days following his Game 2 fall, which included round-the-clock treatment to try to get him back on the floor.