Tragedy strikes the Warriors! After Sunday’s dominant win in the playoffs opener, they headed into tonight’s Game 2 aiming for a similar outcome. But the Rockets came prepared for the challenge this time. They started the game hot and outscored the Warriors 28-18 in the opening quarter. But what hurt the Bay Area team even more was Jimmy Butler’s early exit after taking a nasty fall on the hardwood.

What happened to Jimmy Butler?

The unfortunate incident unfolded in the final minutes of the opening quarter. As Amen Thompson attempted to chase down a rebound off his own missed shot, he lost his footing following a physical box-out from Draymond Green. Off balance, Thompson tumbled directly into the lower body of Jimmy Butler, who was also mid-air going for the board.

What followed was a scary sight.

The collision swept Butler’s legs out from under him, sending him crashing to the hardwood. He landed awkwardly on his tailbone, taking the full force of the fall. Instantly grimacing in pain, Butler clutched his pelvis area and remained down—clearly in serious discomfort.

After laying on the floor for several minutes, he tried to play through the pain but couldn’t for very long. After shooting his free-throws, Butler subbed out and limped off to the locker room to assess the injury. Turns out, he was diagnosed with a pelvic contusion and was done for the night. He finished with only 3 points and two rebounds. But the early diagnosis could extend the forward’s absence longer than just tonight’s game.

Pelvic Contusion Recovery Time: How Long Will Jimmy Butler Be Out For?

According to renowned medical expert Dr. John Vasudevan, the recovery from a pelvic contusion can take anywhere between one and three weeks, based on the severity. The injury basically means that Butler has a bruised pelvis from the fall. “Contusion is actually inflammation or bruising to the soft tissues and/or bones in the region of the pelvis. So, when an athlete falls, what ends up happening there can be inflammation, bleeding, bruising in the muscles. Or if there is a large degree of force or if you fall in a particular area, there can be disc that occurs in the bone.” Dr. Nirav Pandya remarked.

Of course, the first course of action now will be to determine if Butler has a fractured pelvis. In that case, he could be sidelined for months. If not, the Warriors’ focus will shift to relieve Butler’s pain and getting him back into the lineup.

“As long as there’s not anything that goes up to the spine or lower down or any kind of significant muscle or tendon damage, typically this is about pain relief and making sure an athlete is comfortable and can performance on the court.” Dr. Pandya added. In case of pelvic contusion, Jimmy’s return will solely depend on how much the pain bothers his play. It can be anywhere from one game to a couple of weeks. Considering the nasty fall that he took, it is likely that he will miss Saturday’s Game 3 at home. Of course, the Warriors are well aware of the consequences because last month, Stephen Curry suffered the same injury that left him sidelined.

How Many Games Did Stephen Curry Miss With Pelvic Contusion?

Right after Butler landed on the deck, Steph had an immediate look of concern as he put his hands on his head. That’s because the sharpshooter felt the same pain last month during the Raptors clash. Yes, Steph suffered pelvic contusion after he fell hard during a drive to the basket. Although there was no structural damage, the injury sidelined him for the next two games.

Jimmy could be looking at a similar fate in this series. Of course, his absence could prove disastrous for the Warriors because he is their second superstar besides Steph.

Even in the last game, Butler’s dominant 25-point performance played a major role in beating the Rockets at home. With him out for tonight, his team could not make a comeback and trailed by 14 points at the end of the first half.

That could be the sign of things to come with Butler sidelined. So, Dub Nation would be praying that his injury is not serious and he makes a comeback soon. Thoughts?