In a season that was supposed to redefine the Golden State Warriors' second act, the narrative took a gut-wrenching turn on Monday night. Jimmy Butler, the man credited with breathing life back into a “fading dynasty,” saw his season, and perhaps his era in the Bay, come to a crashing halt during a win against his former team, the Miami Heat.
The scene was as raw as it gets. As Butler clutched his right knee on the hardwood, the NBA broadcast mics caught a chilling exchange.
Buddy Hield, trying to spark some of that trademark Butler grit, barked, “Getcho ass up, we need you.” Butler’s response was a haunting mix of bravado and sudden realization: “Shut ya b*tch ass up… Oh my knee.”
Jimmy Butler: “That looks nasty, huh?”
Buddy Hield: “Getcho ass up, we need you.”
Jimmy: “Shut ya b*tch ass up… Oh my knee."
The NBA broadcast left the mic on when Jimmy was injured 😅pic.twitter.com/6aVsSdkiaZ https://t.co/sumSruZnOM
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) January 20, 2026
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The diagnosis confirmed the worst: a torn ACL. Before the exit, Butler was doing exactly what the Warriors brought him in for, providing the rim pressure this jump-shot-heavy roster desperately lacks.
He finished the night with 17 points on 6-of-11 shooting in just 21 minutes, adding 3 rebounds and 4 assists. Without him, the burden shifts entirely back to Stephen Curry, who is now tasked with carrying an eighth-seeded team that is 25-19 and bleeding depth.
Statistically, the loss is a vacuum. Butler was responsible for nearly 30% of the team’s free-throw attempts this season, scoring 370 points in the paint, more than double any teammate not named Curry, via Sam Quinn of CBS Sports. Beyond the box score, the Warriors lose their defensive backbone in the wing slot.
Now, Golden State faces a grim crossroads. With the trade deadline looming, they are stuck with $54.1 million in “dead money” for a 36-year-old star who won't see the floor again this year. What felt like a championship push has suddenly become a fight for survival in a crowded Western Conference.