Tempers flared late in the game, with some shoving involving reserves in the closing seconds, News.Az reports, citing AP.
Butler was injured shortly after catching a pass in the paint, when he went down hard and awkwardly following a collision with Miami’s Davion Mitchell. Mitchell was whistled for a foul at the 7:41 mark of the third quarter. The Warriors said Butler will undergo an MRI examination, with no further update on his status expected until Tuesday.
The knee appeared to buckle as Butler landed. He screamed in pain, grimaced, and grabbed at his knee while remaining on the floor for several minutes. Teammates Gary Payton II and Buddy Hield helped escort him off the court and into the locker room after the fall on Golden State’s offensive end. When he was finally able to stand with assistance, Butler was unable to put any weight on the injured knee.
For Miami, Andrew Wiggins scored 18 points and grabbed five rebounds in his return to Chase Center, where he helped the Warriors win the 2022 NBA championship. Norman Powell led the Heat with 21 points as Miami opened a five-game West Coast road trip. The Heat have now lost four straight road games and fell to 7–14 away from South Florida.
Butler finished the night shooting 6-for-11 after missing Saturday’s 136–116 win over Charlotte for personal reasons. Stephen Curry recorded 19 points and 11 assists, Brandin Podziemski posted a season-high 24 points along with six rebounds, and Hield added 16 points. Golden State played without Draymond Green, who sat out as a precaution due to a right ankle sprain and is expected to return for Tuesday’s home game against Toronto.
The Warriors played on Martin Luther King Jr. Day for the 13th time in 14 seasons and for the second consecutive year at home.
Up next:
Heat: At Sacramento on Tuesday night to complete a back-to-back.
Warriors: Host the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night.
