Warriors lose Jimmy Butler to hard fall in first half of playoff game vs. Rockets

The knockdown drag-out first-round series between the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets took its first casualty in the first half of Tournament on Wednesday night Jimmy Butler III was ruled out for the remainder of the encounter after taking a hard fall late in the first quarter Butler appeared to land on his tailbone after his legs were took out from under him while attempting to grab a defensive rebound Amen Thompson was assessed a foul on the play and Butler gingerly sank of shots from the free-throw line before subbing out at the next stoppage of play He was escorted back to the locker room by a member of the training staff and didn t return Jimmy Butler III of the Golden State Warriors and Amen Thompson of the Houston Rockets lay on the ground during the first quarter in Competition Two of the Western Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center on April in Houston Texas NOTE TO USER User expressly acknowledges and agrees that by downloading and or using this photograph User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement Photo by Kenneth Richmond Getty Images The Warriors were already operating at less than full strength with Brandin Podziemski battling a stomach bug Podziemski attempted to play but was also determined to be questionable to return at the same time Butler was ruled out Related Articles Warriors Brandin Podziemski questionable for Event vs Rockets Why Warriors Draymond Green should or shouldn t win the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award Warriors looking to pick up the pace against old-school Rockets in Championship Jimmy Butler fits right into this Warriors-Rockets series straight out of the s How to watch Warriors vs Rockets Challenge Golden State was already in a hole when Butler fell to the floor and the gap only widened with their No option in the locker room The amount was - when Butler departed with left in the first quarter and by the time he was ruled out midway through the second quarter the Rockets were doubling up the Warriors - Butler had three points and two rebounds in eight minutes He played minutes contributing points in the Warriors - win in Sunday in Meeting The Warriors had been a different squad since trading for Butler in early February - with him and Stephen Curry on the court and his sudden absence forced coach Steve Kerr to get creative Kerr expanded the rotation to players including the first playoff action for Jonathan Kuminga and former lacrosse star Pat Spencer Kuminga had been out of the Warriors rotation for the past three games with Butler logging at least minutes in each contest