Jimmy Butler is built different. This is the guy who once dropped 47 on the road in the Eastern Conference Finals, then followed it up by nearly willing his team to the Finals again with one good ankle and a “don’t even think about sitting me” attitude. He’s grit, leadership, and chaos personified — a walking playoff problem. So when he hit the hardwood in Game 2 against the Houston Rockets with a sickening thud loud enough to freeze the entire Toyota Center, the Warriors — and the NBA — felt it.

Butler went up for a rebound late in the first quarter, and came down awkward, hard, and fast. Rockets rookie Amen Thompson was mid-air with him. Draymond Green — his own teammate — boxed Thompson out with such force that it redirected the rookie directly under Butler’s feet. The result? A dangerous undercut. Butler somersaulted through the air like a ragdoll, crashing down square on his lower back. It wasn’t just a fall. It was the kind of freak landing that looked more “stunt gone wrong” than playoff basketball.

Within minutes, the Warriors ruled him out with a pelvic contusion — the medical term for a bruised tailbone. Butler’s in pain. Serious pain. Walking was a challenge postgame, per ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk, and Game 3 is in serious jeopardy.

Before the injury, Jimmy Butler had logged nearly 8 minutes, notching 3 points and 2 rebounds. But that doesn’t tell the story. In Game 1, he was electric — 25 points, 7 boards, 6 assists, 5 steals. Only three other Warriors since 1973-74 have ever put up a 25-5-5-5 playoff line: Rick Barry, Tim Hardaway, and Steph Curry. That’s elite company. Jimmy was locked in, dialed up, and set to be the difference-maker in a postseason run where Golden State needs every ounce of tenacity they can get.

So losing him? That’s a gut punch. He’s the kind of player whose value doesn’t always live in the box score. He organizes chaos on defense, forces mismatches on offense, and brings a level of playoff maturity most of the current roster lacks outside of Curry and Draymond.

And just like that — poof — he’s out. Slammed by friendly fire. Enter the villain of the moment.

The Draymond Dilemma: Sabotage or Just Dray Being Dray?

Fans immediately circled one name: Draymond Green.

The veteran forward was trying to box out Thompson. That’s clear. What’s murkier is how reckless that box-out was. Draymond drove the rookie out of the play so hard that Thompson was helpless mid-air. And when a rookie’s legs get swept out while competing in the air with your star teammate? You better believe people are going to ask questions.

It didn’t help that Draymond, already on a short leash from previous suspensions and techs this season, didn’t exactly look remorseful post-fall. There was no helping Butler up. No pause. No “my bad.” Just more barking at the officials.

Unintentionally or not, Green boxed out Thompson — and hope — in the same motion. It was the worst kind of own goal.

Pelvic contusions are sneaky. They sound minor until you try sprinting, jumping, or absorbing contact — all things Butler makes a living off of. Steph Curry suffered the same injury a few weeks ago and missed multiple games. Even after returning, he moved like someone whose hips had been replaced with bricks.

Jimmy Butler’s version? Reportedly worse.

Add in the fact that he’s 35, plays physically on both ends, and has a history of pushing through pain, and this isn’t just a day-to-day situation — it’s a playoff-altering moment. Warriors’ medical staff haven’t officially listed him as out for Game 3 in San Francisco, but anyone watching that fall — or watching him limp off — knows what this is.

If Butler misses time, Golden State is losing more than a scorer. They’re losing the heartbeat of their defense, their emotional anchor, and the one guy who can bring absolute hell to a playoff game without saying a word.

Without Butler, the Warriors are suddenly vulnerable in every area that matters. Defense? Wiggins and Kuminga are athletic but prone to lapses. Offense? Curry’s going to get doubled on every possession without a secondary creator like Butler. Leadership? Draymond’s been too unpredictable, Klay’s not vocal, and Steve Kerr is already managing a rotation that’s paper-thin.

Butler wasn’t just a midseason pickup — he was the bridge between chaos and cohesion. The guy who’d throw himself on a loose ball, talk trash to wake up a sleepwalking lineup, or hit a dagger just when you think the opponent’s about to pull away.

Now, if he can’t suit up Saturday, Golden State doesn’t just lose a player — they lose their edge. And if it really was Draymond Green who knocked the edge out of the series? That’s not just friendly fire. That’s sabotage.