Stephen A. Smith believes the Warriors can beat the Houston Rockets even if Jimmy Butler misses time with the pelvis injury he sustained in Game 2 of the Western Conference playoffs.
The ESPN analyst explained why Golden State could win its first-round matchup against Houston without Butler.
“Well, I think that it’s going to be very tough for them to beat Houston [without Butler],” Smith said Thursday on ESPN’s “First Take.” “I wouldn’t say definitively that they’re done because Houston can be very sporadic offensively. Defensively, they’ll bring it, but offensively, it’s problematic for them to score at times.
“And any time that’s an issue for you, you can get beat. So, I wouldn’t say it’s a foregone conclusion without Butler that [the Rockets] would win this series. But I would elevate them to favorites to win the series if Butler can’t go, which I believe, ultimately, he will be able to go.”
The Rockets are a force on defense but have struggled offensively this season, which leaves the door open for the Warriors to win the series. Still, Golden State was overmatched in Game 2 after Butler was forced out after a hard fall on his tailbone in the first quarter. Houston’s swarming defense bottled up Steph Curry and the rest of Golden State’s shooters in a 109-94 victory.
While Smith is optimistic about the Warriors defeating the Rockets, he is far less upbeat about Golden State’s chances after the first round.
“Here’s what I would tell you if Butler was gone,” Smith explained. “Even if Golden State did get past the first round, you’re going home next round. You ain’t beating the [Los Angeles Lakers] or the [Minnesota Timberwolves] without Jimmy Butler if you’re the Golden State Warriors.
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“I would tell you with Jimmy Butler, you could be going to the conference finals. Without him, you could be going home in the first round, but you’re definitely going home in the semifinals.”
After making a trade deadline deal for Butler, the Warriors again looked like contenders in the Western Conference. The 35-year-old was playing some of his best basketball of the season before the injury, with his explosive 25-point outburst in Game 1 keying a Warriors victory.
Without Butler, Golden State’s offense becomes one-dimensional and too reliant on Steph Curry being the primary scorer. Houston took full advantage of this in Game 2, double-teaming Curry at every chance and disrupting his shots.
With the series now shifting to Chase Center for Game 3, all eyes will be on Butler, as his status still is up in the air. Coach Steve Kerr will have to alter the game plan if Butler cannot play, so Jonathan Kuminga and the rest of Golden State’s bench will need to come through in a big way.
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