The Golden State Warriors walked into Tuesday night’s matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder already undermanned. But when Jimmy Butler limped off the floor midway through the second quarter with a knee injury, the challenge of facing the defending champs turned into an uphill climb that even their trademark grit couldn’t overcome.
Butler was ruled out for the remainder of the game after heading to the locker room, finishing with just six points on 2-of-6 shooting. With Stephen Curry still sidelined due to a quadriceps injury, the Warriors were suddenly without their two most dynamic offensive weapons. And things didn’t get any easier from there - Draymond Green, the team’s defensive anchor and emotional engine, picked up his fifth foul in the third quarter, limiting his impact down the stretch.
Still, Golden State didn’t fold.
Despite being short-handed and outmatched on paper, the Warriors scrapped their way into the fourth quarter with a lead. It was a classic Dubs effort - tough, unselfish, and fueled by role players stepping into bigger moments.
But eventually, the Thunder’s star power took over. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who’s been playing at an MVP-caliber level all season, spearheaded a late surge that powered Oklahoma City to a 124-112 win on the road.
The loss drops Golden State to 11-11 on the season, while OKC continues its torrid start, improving to 21-1.
For the Warriors, the story remains frustratingly familiar. When healthy, this team still flashes the DNA of a contender - but that "when" is becoming harder to pin down.
Curry is 37, Butler is 36, and Green is 35. That’s a lot of mileage on the core that the Warriors are still leaning on to carry the load.
And staying healthy, consistently, is proving to be one of the biggest challenges they face.
Without that trio on the court together, the team’s rhythm suffers. The chemistry that once made them nearly unbeatable becomes harder to replicate. And the result is what we’ve seen time and again over the past few seasons - stretches of inconsistent play that leave Golden State fighting uphill just to stay in the playoff picture.
Butler was brought in to lighten Curry’s offensive burden, especially during stretches like this. Ironically, with Curry out, Butler’s had to shoulder even more responsibility.
Coming into Tuesday night, he was averaging 20.2 points on an efficient 52.7 percent shooting, along with 5.7 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 1.6 steals per game. That’s high-level production from a player who’s never shied away from tough assignments - but the hope now is that this knee issue doesn’t linger.
The Warriors are about to embark on a three-game road trip, and they’ll need every bit of the resilience they showed against OKC to navigate it. This team has heart.
That much is clear. But heart alone won’t be enough if their stars can’t stay on the floor.
Jimmy Butler is not on the court or the Warriors' bench to start the 2nd half.
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) December 3, 2025
This is the play he showed discomfort in the 2nd quarter.pic.twitter.com/KYjxGyWAlk
For now, Golden State will regroup, wait for updates on Butler’s status, and look to build on the fight they showed - even in defeat - against one of the league’s most dominant teams.