SAN FRANCISCO — Steve Kerr and the Golden State Warriors are nonetheless coming to phrases with how dramatically their season adjustments after Jimmy Butler’s season-ending proper knee damage and the way they need to rely on their depth going ahead with out the do-everything guard.
An MRI examination late Monday after the damage revealed Butler tore the ACL in his proper knee throughout the third quarter of a 135-112 victory earlier within the night time in opposition to his former Miami crew and can want surgical procedure. He landed awkwardly moments after catching a cross within the paint following a collision with the Warmth’s Davion Mitchell.
The 36-year-old Butler’s surgical procedure date hadn’t been set.
“Nicely, most of all simply disillusioned for Jimmy. He is having a terrific yr. I felt just like the final couple weeks he was actually on the high of his sport,” Kerr mentioned earlier than a house sport in opposition to Toronto on Tuesday. “So for him and for us clearly, for him individually, in the course of a very nice season with plenty of potentialities, plenty of pleasure with the crew the best way was taking part in, I simply really feel horrible for him that he will miss the remainder of the yr. It is a part of the sport, I do know, accidents are part of it, however it hurts for positive.”
Butler’s knee buckled upon his touchdown and he screamed, grimaced and grabbed at his knee whereas down for a few minutes. He wanted teammates Gary Payton II and Buddy Hield to escort him off the courtroom to the locker room after the autumn on the Warriors’ offensive finish. When he lastly received up with help, he was unable to place any stress on his knee.
In just below 21 minutes, Butler had 17 factors on 6-for-11 capturing, 4 assists and three rebounds. He was Golden State’s second-leading scorer this season behind Stephen Curry, having averaged 20 factors, 5.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists.
The crew had but to debate the lack of Butler as a gaggle as a result of “all people received the information after we dispersed final night time,” Kerr mentioned.
“You simply have a look at it matter-of-factly. We get it, that is a part of the NBA, a part of sports activities,” Kerr mentioned. “I’m not going to spend an entire lot of time analyzing the place we’re within the meals chain of the NBA, I’m going to concentrate on what we will do to win tonight and win the subsequent sport. We now have a very good vibe going, we’ve a very good rhythm, we’ve discovered I feel a sample of connecting the sport offensively and defensively. I feel we will proceed to do these issues and win video games. And if we do this we construct confidence, we construct momentum and preserve going.”
Golden State had gained 4 straight video games and 12 of 16 going into the ultimate sport of its eight-game home-stand. However the Warriors are solely eighth within the Western Convention, leaving them work to do exactly to make the playoffs in Butler’s absence.
Kerr plans to experiment with rotations and mentioned Jonathan Kuminga “may very well be” a part of the combination regardless of not taking part in in additional than a month — 16 straight video games since Dec. 18 and 19 of 20 general. He believes Kuminga needs to play and be a part of the crew regardless of his latest request for a commerce and all the hypothesis about him being dealt earlier than the deadline Feb. 5.
“He is been (right here) over 4 years so we’re snug with what he can do and the way he would possibly slot in,” Kerr mentioned.
Normal supervisor Mike Dunleavy mentioned the timing of the damage permits the group to think about choices forward of the deadline, sharing that “nothing’s imminent” so far as buying and selling Kuminga.
Dunleavy referred to as it a “powerful 24 hours right here” seeing Butler go down — however the hope is he might return sooner or later round this time subsequent season.
“He has meant a lot to this group since he received right here. It is laborious to imagine he hasn’t even been right here a yr, he is slot in so nicely,” Dunleavy mentioned. “You hate it for him. The beat goes on, you have to preserve going and I feel our crew’s taking part in actually good. We’ve been taking part in some good basketball. That’s the brilliant spot right here. I don’t have a optimistic twist on the information, it’s not good. ACL accidents are usually not issues which you can be optimistic about, however it will all come out nicely in the long run and we’ll transfer ahead.”
Kerr expects Al Horford and De’Anthony Melton will proceed to play key roles.
“I feel we’ve sufficient to compete. I feel Al and Soften have given us a distinct dynamic, I feel plenty of our younger gamers — Quinten (Submit), Will Richard — these guys are able to contribute, they’ve contributed,” Kerr mentioned. “We have got depth so we will preserve this factor going. Clearly we’ll miss Jimmy. He is probably the greatest gamers within the league, you’ll be able to’t reduce that, trivialize it, however you play with who you may have and I like who we’ve.”
