Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler found a way to join the celebration despite missing Game 3 of the team's playoff series against the Houston Rockets. Following the Warriors’ 104-93 victory over the Rockets at Chase Center,关键字2 Butler posted a playful jab at teammate Buddy Hield on Instagram, sharing an image of a bat signal with Stephen Curry’s logo, captioned: "thanks batman and team. excluding buddy," as reported by NBC Sports Bay Area.
While Butler was sidelined with a left pelvic contusion, Hield contributed 17 points on 6-of-13 shooting and posted a plus-14 rating over 29 minutes. However, his ball-handling drew criticism from Butler, who has often teased Hield about his dribbling. Hield acknowledged Butler's playful coaching after the game, calling it "terrible advice" but praising Butler’s positive encouragement overall.
Stephen Curry led the Warriors’ charge, scoring a game-high 36 points and adding nine assists and seven rebounds. Coach Steve Kerr praised Curry’s leadership, saying, “This is what superstars do in playoff games,” highlighting how Curry’s play lifted the entire team.
The Warriors rallied from a 13-point first-half deficit, with Curry taking control in the second quarter. Draymond Green emphasized how Curry’s energy set the tone, describing it as “beautiful” how the team rallied behind him.
Golden State finished strong with a 20-9 run, fueled by Curry’s assists and key plays from Gary Payton II. The Warriors now hold a 2-1 lead in the first-round series, with hopes that Butler can return for Game 4.
As long as the Warriors continue winning, the playful banter between Butler and Hield is likely to keep rolling.