Overview
- Butler injured his right knee on an awkward landing after contact with Davion Mitchell at the 7:41 mark of the third quarter, screamed in pain, could not bear weight and was helped to the locker room.
- Golden State ruled him out for the night and scheduled an MRI, as ESPN’s Shams Charania and multiple outlets reported a torn right ACL that would end his season.
- The Warriors defeated the Heat 135-112; Butler had 17 points in 21 minutes before exiting, Stephen Curry posted 19 points and 11 assists, and Brandin Podziemski led with 24 off the bench.
- Head coach Steve Kerr described the team as subdued while awaiting medical clarity, and Curry said he was praying for the best after seeing Butler go down.
- Butler has averaged roughly 20.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists for Golden State, so his loss raises the workload for Curry and others and could accelerate roster decisions before Feb. 5.