Jimmy Butler injury adds salt to Warriors wound in bruising Game 2 loss

The Golden State Warriors will go back to Chase Center tied at 1-1 in their first-round series against the Houston Rockets, having suffered a 109-94 loss at Toyota Center on Wednesday night.

While the loss was one thing, the Warriors will be far more concerned with the health of Jimmy Butler after the 6x All-Star landed hard on a rebound in the first-quarter and exited with a pelvic contusion.

All eyes will be on Jimmy Butler's injury after the Warriors' Game 2 loss

Houston quickly took advantage of Butler's absence, extending their lead to 20 early in the second-quarter after Steve Kerr started the period with an unusual lineup of Pat Spencer, Buddy Hield, Jonathan Kuminga, Draymond Green and Quinten Post.

That was the sort of night it was for Golden State though, with Butler's injury adding to Brandin Podziemski's illness which saw the second-year guard go scoreless and without a single stat in 14 minutes.

The Warriors did battle on and looked at times like they were one big run away from parachuting back into the game, including in the fourth-quarter where a 9-0 run cut the Rockets lead to 11 with over seven minutes still to play.

Jalen Green's eight threes and 38 points meant Houston had an answer on every occasion, with Steve Kerr eventually pulling the plug in removing Stephen Curry with just under four minutes remaining.

Curry had 20 points, five rebounds and nine assists, but Butler's exit meant it was the familiar early season tale of a one-man band. Moses Moody and Quinten Post combined to go for 24 points on 7-of-14 shooting from 3-point range, while Kuminga and Spencer also reached double-digits with 11 apiece.

Butler's injury gave Kuminga an opportunity after three-straight DNPs, but the 22-year-old failed to fully capitalize with his 11 points coming on just 4-of-12 shooting from the floor in 26 minutes off the bench.

Draymond Green had eight rebounds, five assists and three steals, but his night was more focused on the multiple incidents had with Green, Dillon Brooks, Alperun Sengun and lastly Fred VanVleet in another chippy game between the two rivals.

All the attention will now turn to Butler's injury in what could be a series-shaping (and therefore season-altering) diagnosis. The 6x All-Star will have an MRI back in the Bay on Thursday, with the Warriors now getting two days off before Game 3 at Chase Center on Saturday.