Without Steph Curry, the Golden State Warriors fell to the Minnesota Timberwolves 117-93 on Thursday night as their Western Conference semifinals series is now tied up at one game apiece heading to the Bay.
Warriors co-star Jimmy Butler is tasked with taking on more of the offensive load with Curry out of the lineup for the foreseeable future. Curry exited Golden State's Game 1 victory with a pulled hamstring—the first of his 16-year career. The issue for Butler? He's still dealing with the nagging effects of the pelvic contusion that he suffered in Golden State's first-round series against the Houston Rockets.
Butler scored 17 points and added seven rebounds in Thursday's loss, and didn't make excuses.
"I feel pretty good - I get to rest," Butler said. "We get to take a flight back, sleep in our own beds. Get some recovery, dominoes, coffee, kids, doesn't change. And get ready to compete again."
But when he was asked point blank about the injury and whether or not he was still feeling the effects of the injury, he was honest in his response.
"For sure. But believe it or not, dominoes, coffees and kids make it all better," Butler added with a smile.
As the series shifts back home to the Bay Area, the Warriors will look to find a winning formula without its most important player in Curry. Butler's health and how far he can take the team in Curry's absence will tell the tale of whether or not Golden State can reach the conference finals.
More NBA Playoffs on Sports Illustrated
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Warriors Star Jimmy Butler Admits Fall From Rockets Series Is Still Bothering Him.
