The Golden State Warriors won again on Thursday night, taking down the Toronto Raptors 117-114. The Warriors now hold a record of 16-2 in games Jimmy Butler has played in since his acquisition from the Miami Heat. With the win, the Warriors remain in sixth place in the Western Conference and continue to put distance between themselves and the play-in tournament.
Butler is thriving in his new home after his disgruntled tenure with the Heat came to a close in early February. The 35-year-old has revitalized his offensive production, averaging 17.2 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 6.4 assists in his 18 games with the Warriors.
Butler secured his second triple-double with the Warriors in Thursday's victory, finishing with 16 points, 11 rebounds, and 12 assists.
Despite all the good fortune and accolades, the Warriors star point guard, Stephen Curry, left the game early in the third quarter after landing awkwardly on his back. Head coach Steve Kerr confirmed Curry went for an MRI after the game, and his injury is being listed as a pelvic contusion.
There's no timeline for Curry's return, but Butler sent a message to his teammates anyway, in case Curry were to miss extended time.
Jimmy Butler on the Warriors need to play "perfect" basketball if Steph Curry misses time
"We can't afford to turn the ball over. We can't afford to foul. Because we don't have the one individual who can automatically get us back into the game." pic.twitter.com/lbkGic7gd4
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) March 21, 2025
"If he (Curry) isn't with us, that's just more perfect basketball that we're going to have to play. We can't afford to turn the ball over. We can't afford to foul. Because we don't have the one individual who can automatically get us back into the game," Butler said.
The Warriors will monitor Curry's injury closely and provide an update on his status as soon as it's available. Kerr did reveal that despite the aggressive nature of Curry's fall, Curry did express desire to return to the game. Out of an abundance of caution, the Warriors medical staff advised he sit out the remainder of Thursday night's game.
Whether the Warriors have Curry in the lineup or not, they will turn their attention to their next game on Saturday night against the Atlanta Hawks. At 41-29, the Warriors currently trail the Memphis Grizzlies and the No. 5 seed by two games.
Related: Steve Kerr Gives His Honest Opinion on Jimmy Butler's Impact on the Warriors
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This story was originally published March 21, 2025 at 3:33 AM.