Jimmy Butler’s MRI Result Brings Good News and Bad News

The Golden State Warriors received good news and bad news after Jimmy Butler‘s MRI result came back.

The good news is Butler “avoided any fracture or structural damage,” ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on Thursday night. However, the bad news is that Butler’s availability for Game 3 is in “serious jeopardy” after he has been diagnosed with a deep glute muscle contusion.

According to Dr. Brian Sutterer, Butler’s glute muscle will be sore for a while.

“Contusion = bruise. Muscle bruise = tear. There is bleeding in his muscle from the damaged muscle fibers. Definitely better than a fracture, but will linger and be sore for a while. Especially if he lands on it again,” Dr. Sutterer wrote on X in reaction to Butler’s MRI result.

Butler sustained the injury late in the first quarter of Game 2 when he awkwardly landed on his back in a scary fall as Houston Rockets guard Amen Thompson inadvertently undercut him.

Golden State coach Steve Kerr believes Thompson did not intentionally hurt Butler.

“I haven’t seen the replay,” Kerr told reporters when asked what he thought of Thompson colliding with Butler. “I asked our guys behind the bench, and they just said it looked like there was some physicality on the rebound, and I think Thompson just inadvertently found himself underneath Jimmy just based on the tug-of-war that was going on there. So we didn’t think there was anything wrong with the play.”

Jimmy Butler’s Agent Sent Cryptic Text

Before Butler’s MRI result was released, his agent Bernie Lee sent a cryptic text to Andscape’s Marc Spears.

“Pray for the bear,” Spears said of Lee’s text message on “NBA Today” on Thursday, April 24.

“Bernie Lee, Jimmy Butler’s agent texts me saying, ‘Pray for the bear.'”@MarcJSpears says Jonathan Kuminga needs to be ready for Warriors-Rockets Game 3, but has “optimism” for Butler’s injury status 👀 pic.twitter.com/YvZbLL4gQS

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) April 24, 2025

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The “pray for the bear” phrase was a reference to the late Kobe Bryant’s defiant message when he tore his Achilles heel in 2013.

“If you see me in a fight with a bear, pray for the bear,” Bryant wrote at the time. “I’ve always loved that quote. That’s ‘Mamba Mentality’, we don’t quit. We don’t cower, we don’t run. We endure and conquer.”

Jonathan Kuminga Gets Another Chance Again in Game 3

Filling in for Butler, Jonathan Kuminga was inserted back into the rotation. But after not playing the last three games, Kuminga was rusty. The 22-year-old forward shot a measly 4-of-12 from the field to finish with 11 points in 26 minutes.

Aside from rust, Kuminga was eager to prove he should not have been benched in the first place. Especially as he’s playing for his next contract. Kuminga will become a restricted free agent after this season.

So if Butler needs to sit out in Game 3, Kuminga will have a golden opportunity to earn his rotation spot back.

“He wants to get the bag,” Spears said. “That’s his motivation. He gotta let it go. Forget feelings at this point. … He’s gotta shake it off. He’s gotta play.

“Hey, JK, you want to play, you want the bag, this is your time.”