Is Jimmy Butler Playing Tonight vs Rockets? Warriors Injury Report Reviewed Ahead of Game 2

“Overall, man, he’s such a calming force for us. Just calm everything down, get us to our spots and get us a good look,” said Draymond Green in the aftermath of the Warriors’ Game 1 win against the Houston Rockets. The belief, which has also been promoted by Steve Kerr, has been reflected in just how the Warriors’ offense, and overall play through have changed since the veteran’s acquisition back in February. Now, having brought his ‘Playoff Jimmy’ persona to the postseason, Bay Area fans are confident about the team’s chances for Game 2. However, to ensure the Warriors secure a 2-0 record against the Rockets, Butler will have to first be present for the game.

The former Miami Heat star had an awkward collision with Kawhi Leonard during the Warriors-Clippers matchup back in mid-April. It was apparent that Jimmy Butler had sustained an issue in the knee/thigh area, since the player was visibly limping. This was enough to leave Bay Area fans concerned, as if losing in overtime to the Clippers, at home, wasn’t bad enough. Butler has not missed a single playoff game since 2016. Since the Warriors’ matchup against the Clippers was the team’s last of the regular season, fans certainly did not want Butler’s streak to be broken in his first season with Stephen Curry and co.

Fortunately, during the post-game interview, Butler dismissed the injury’s severity. Instead, he stated that “I’ll be alright. Go home and play some dominoes. Drink some coffee and I hope it feel better”. Fortunately, not only did the 35-year-old make it for the Play-In matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies, he also scored a memorable 38 points by shooting 12-20 (60.0%) field goals, 2-4 (50.0%) 3-pointers, and 12-18 (66.7%) free throws. But now, too, judging his situation from an injury front, there is no doubt that he will be there.

According to the Golden State Warriors Injury Report, as highlighted by ESPN, there is NO player listed with an ailment. This means that not only Jimmy Butler, but the entirety of the Warriors squad will be returning to the Toyota Center to take on Dillon Brooks and co. It also proves that all the issues Butler had with his thigh now seem to be behind him.

Feb 21, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III (10) poses for a photo during the fourth quarter against the Golden State Warriors at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

While the Golden State Warriors might be free from any injury issues, the Houston Rockets, unfortunately, are not. Jae’Sean Tate had earlier sustained a right ankle injury, which caused him to miss the final two games of the regular season and Game 1 of the Warriors-Rockets playoff series. Now, he has been declared ‘OUT’ for Game 2 as well, with his week-to-week reportedly still in effect. The Rockets will also have to go on without Jock Landale, who will miss his 2nd consecutive game due to a right knee contusion.

In light of these updates, it is apparent that at least one of the teams will have to make adjustments to the starting lineup.

What will the starting lineup and depth chart for the Warriors-Rockets game look like?

With no players on the Injury Report, there would be no changes to the Warriors’ Starting 5. There are some doubts on whether Jonathan Kuminga will be put into the rotation this time, but we won’t know the answer to that until the day of the game. In light of this, the starting lineup for the Golden State Warriors is expected to look like this:

POSITION	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH	5TH
PG	Stephen Curry	Brandin Podziemski	Pat Spencer	Moses Moody	Taran Armstrong
SG	Brandin Podziemski	Buddy Hield	Gary Payton II	Moses Moody	Pat Spencer
SF	Moses Moody	Gary Payton II	Gui Santos	Jimmy Butler III	Buddy Hield
PF	Jimmy Butler III	Gui Santos	Jonathan Kuminga	Draymond Green	Moses Moody
C	Draymond Green	Quinten Post	Kevon Looney	Trayce Jackson-Davis

Jae’Sean Tate had only been averaging 3.6 points and 2.3 rebounds per game in the regular season. Therefore, his absence won’t impact the Rockets much. With Jock Landale, the Rockets will be without a tertiary Center, leaving more responsibilities to be taken up by Jabari Smith Jr. Jeff Green. In light of this, the starting lineup for the Houston Rockets will look like this:

POSITION	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH	5TH
PG	Fred VanVleet	Amen Thompson	Aaron Holiday	Reed Sheppard	Jalen Green
SG	Jalen Green	Dillon Brooks	Reed Sheppard	Aaron Holiday	Cam Whitmore
SF	Amen Thompson	Tari Eason	Dillon Brooks	Cam Whitmore	Jae’Sean Tate (OUT)
PF	Dillon Brooks	Jabari Smith Jr.	Tari Eason	Jeff Green	Jae’Sean Tate (OUT)
C	Alperen Sengun	Steven Adams	Jock Landale (OUT)	Jabari Smith Jr.	Jeff Green

The Golden State Warriors or the Houston Rockets? Who will you be rooting for? Let us know in the comments section down below.

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