Report: Butler expected to return in Game 4 vs. Rockets
The Golden State Warriors and Jimmy Butler expect the forward to play in Monday's Game 4 against the Houston Rockets, reports ESPN's Shams Charania.
Butler didn't play in Game 3 after sustaining a pelvic contusion on a hard fall in Game 2.
The 35-year-old scored 25 points and led the Warriors in assists (six) and steals (five) while playing over 42 minutes in their Game 1 win. However, he left Game 2 with under 2 minutes to play in the first quarter after Rockets forward Amen Thompson inadvertently undercut Butler as he attempted to grab a rebound.
Following the multi-team swap that sent Butler to the Bay Area ahead of the February trade deadline, the six-time All-Star averaged 17.9 points, 5.9 assists, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.7 steals in 30 games. Golden State went 23-7 with Butler in the lineup, helping Steve Kerr's squad finish seventh in the West and advance to the playoffs through the play-in tournament.