The Golden State Warriors are in a tough spot. Steph Curry has been sidelined with a quad injury, removing the best player from the roster. Without him, it’s up to Jimmy Butler to carry the offense. Unfortunately, Butler took a nasty fall against the Pelicans.
Butler finished the game, playing a total of 37 minutes. Still, Butler mentioned that he was in pain following the game. Without Butler, the Warriors would have a massive amount of trouble generating enough offense to win games.
Ahead of a matchup against the Thunder, Steve Kerr has revealed what Butler’s status will be for that game.
GettyJimmy Butler drives to the hoop. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
Golden State Warriors Forward Jimmy Butler to Play vs OKC
According to head coach Steve Kerr, Butler is expected to be playing against the Thunder. Butler did not practice on Monday, but Kerr still expects him to be out there on the floor against the defending champs. Without Curry, Butler is the only reliable source of offense.
So far this season, Butler has been fairly healthy. He has played in 19 of the 21 games that the Warriors have played this year. Butler has the highest effective field goal percentage and true shooting percentage of his career, showing how efficient he has been.
Golden State currently sits eighth in the Western Conference standings. Curry will only be out a few games with his quad injury, so Butler only needs to hold down the fort for a few games.
Unfortunately for the Warriors, three of their next four games are on the road. The only one that isn’t is against the Thunder, who have lost just once this season. The early portion of their schedule has been absolutely brutal.
GettySeth Curry dribbles the ball. (Photo by David Jensen/Getty Images)
Seth Curry Will Make Warriors Debut
On the bright side for the Golden State Warriors, Steph’s brother Seth Curry will be making his debut for the franchise against the Thunder. Adding another shooter should help the team when the offense goes stale. Seth has not played at all this season.
Last season, Curry played 68 games for the Hornets. The Warriors see him as a key bench piece when his brother comes back. He will have a few games to solidify a spot in the rotation. If he can make some outside shots and be money from three, the Warriors will be pleased.
Having Butler fully healthy and ready to go for the next few games is a must for Golden State. They can’t afford to lose too many games in a very competitive Western Conference. After a strong start, they have come back to earth, partially because of injuries.
Kerr will have to navigate the rest of the season by keeping his two aging stars healthy. Al Horford has been missing games, as well. This is likely the last time that this team will have a real shot to make a run at the playoffs with the current iteration of the roster.
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