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Warriors star Jimmy Butler out vs Thunder with illness
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- Warriors star Jimmy Butler out vs Thunder with illness
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The Golden State Warriors will be shorthanded Friday night as they open the New Year against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Chase Center .
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Golden State listed star forward Jimmy Butler III as out with an illness ahead of the matchup, which is scheduled for 10:00 p.m. ET on Prime Video. The Warriors enter the contest riding a two-game winning streak and sit at 18–16, while Oklahoma City owns the NBA's best record at 29–5.
ClutchPoints NBA insider Brett Siegel reported Friday afternoon that Butler appeared on the injury report with the illness designation, creating uncertainty around his availability against one of the league's top teams. ESPN's Shams Charania and Anthony Slater then confirmed his absence .
Butler, 36, has been a central piece of Golden State's lineup this season. Through 30 games, he is averaging 19.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 51.6 percent from the field and 41.0 percent from three-point range. He has logged 31.6 minutes per contest and has provided consistent two-way production during the Warriors' recent push up the Western Conference standings.
Jimmy Butler 's status headlines Warriors' injury concerns vs. Thunder
Butler's status adds to an already lengthy injury report for Golden State. Stephen Curry is out with a left ankle sprain , while De'Anthony Melton is questionable due to left knee injury management. Draymond Green has been ruled out for rest, and Seth Curry remains out with left sciatic nerve irritation.
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The Warriors also listed Al Horford as probable with right sciatic nerve irritation and Trayce Jackson-Davis as probable with right knee patellar tendinitis.
Golden State is coming off a 132–125 win over the Charlotte Hornets on New Year's Eve, a result that helped stabilize its position in the Western Conference playoff race. The Thunder, meanwhile, arrive in San Francisco as one of the league's most consistent teams on both ends of the floor.
The Warriors look to extend their winning streak to three games against a conference-leading opponent without three of their superstar players.
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