The Dallas Mavericks host the Golden State Warriors on Thursday, but the visitors will be without veteran guard Jimmy Butler III, who suffered a season-ending injury Monday night.
The Dallas Mavericks have won three games in a row, each in decisive fashion with lights-out perimeter shooting, leading up to their meeting with the Golden State Warriors at American Airlines Center on Thursday.
While the Warriors are also hot - winning six of their last seven games and 12 of their last 16 - they've faced sudden devastation as veteran guard Jimmy Butler III suffered a season-ending knee injury in Monday night's game against the Miami Heat.
ESPN's Shams Charania reported early Tuesday morning that the fear of a torn ACL has been confirmed.
Butler, who scored 17 points in the eventual 135-112 Warriors win, went down after landing awkwardly on his right knee as it buckled inward at the 7:41 mark of the third quarter.
The 36-year-old star, playing in his first full season with the Warriors after his midseason trade from the Heat last year, immediately reared in pain after the injury.
Golden State now loses a valuable piece of their veteran-laden lineup that features mainstays Stephen Curry Draymond Green, along with Al Horford off the bench. Curry was named a Western Conference starter in the upcoming NBA All-Star Game earlier Monday, marking his 12th All-Star appearance and 11th start.
Butler finished the season with averages of 20 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists on nearly 52 percent shooting from the field in 29.4 minutes per game.
As ESPN Warriors reporter Anthony Slater put it, Butler's injury "effectively [throws] the future direction of the franchise into question."
Butler's acquisition was thought to be an all-in effort to try to get Curry his fifth championship in Golden State while he's still playing at an All-Star level this deep into his illustrious career.
While Butler's ferocious mentality on both ends of the floor will be missed, Curry spoke postgame about how Butler stoically remained himself in the face of devastation after the injury - pointing to how his invaluable leadership will remain in the locker room as the season continues.
"He was still cracking jokes over there while he was on the ground," Curry recalled before Butler could be helped to his feet at the Chase Center. "In true Jimmy fashion, he's always gonna have a good time, no matter what the situation is."
"The Warriors," Slater adds, "already searching for reinforcements prior to the Feb. 5 trade deadline, will need to reassess where everything stands for this aging core. Butler is making $54.1 million this season and $56.8 million next season, the final year of his deal."
The Mavericks are in a similar predicament when it comes to a high-priced star being out of the lineup. Anthony Davis had been at the center of trade rumors - including some with the Warriors - before his hand injury that resulted in ligament damage, sitting him down for six weeks until reevaluation.
Davis' contract is near identical to Butler's, as he takes up a $54.1 million cap hit this season and a $58.4 million figure next year, which is one year before a player option of $62.7 million for 2027-28.
Kyrie Irving also remains out for Dallas, but his recovery from an ACL tear last March is thought to be nearing an end, with sometime after the All-Star break in mid-to-late February being an estimate for his return.
Until then, the Mavs looks to keep up the sharpshooting - and winning - going amid a stretch of brutal injury luck - something the Warriors are now experiencing themselves ahead of the matchup in Dallas.
The Mavs are off until Thursday while the Warriors play their first game without Butler on Tuesday at home against the Toronto Raptors.
