With Stephen Curry sidelined by a quad injury sustained against the Houston Rockets last week, the Golden State Warriors will go in significant underdogs against the all-conquering Oklahoma City Thunder at Chase Center on Tuesday night.
Yet any hope the Warriors do have may already be over if fellow veteran star Jimmy Butler is also ruled out. The 6x All-Star had a scary fall when he was undercut during Saturday night's win over the New Orleans Pelicans, but played on and ultimately proved the biggest factor in the game with 24 points, eight rebounds and 10 assists.
Jimmy Butler is questionable to face the Thunder on Tuesday night
While Butler did look free in his movements during the final minutes of that game, the 36-year-old has been listed as questionable to face the Thunder with what Golden State are labelling as a left glute contusion.
Needless to say that without Curry AND Butler, the Warriors will have little to no hope of taking down the Thunder who have rolled on from last season's maiden championship with an incredible 20-1 start to this campaign.
Even Golden State's third veteran star -- Draymond Green -- isn't guaranteed to face Oklahoma City after being listed as probable with a mid-foot sprain. If Butler is ruled out in addition to Curry, it might be worth resting Green as well (even if he could play) in order to prepare for an upcoming three-game road trip that starts in Philadelphia on Thursday.
Al Horford is the fourth veteran who is also likely to miss, having malready been out for three-straight games due to sciatic irritation. The 39-year-old has at least been upgraded to doubtful, but the Warriors could again be without two of their three centers as Trayce Jackson-Davis is questionable with knee tendinitis.
On a more positive note, Jonathan Kuminga is completely off the injury report after also dealing with knee tendinitis which saw him miss seven-straight games prior to his return off the bench against the Pelicans.
The Thunder have some injury issues themselves and will be without the veteran trio of Isaiah Hartenstein, Lu Dort and Alex Caruso. They did just regain the services of Jalen Williams though who's played two games after missing the first 19 through injury.
The Warriors will at least be hoping to showcase a more competitive effort than what they produced less than three weeks ago in Oklahoma City where they were blown out in a 126-102 defeat.