Jimmy Butler's Season-Ending Injury Tanks Warriors' NBA Championship Odds

The Golden State Warriors' season took a turn for the worst on Monday night, as star forward Jimmy Butler III suffered a season-ending torn ACL in a win over the Miami Heat.

Butler went down midway through the third quarter, and ESPN's Shams Charania reported after the game that the six-time All-Star's season is over.

Breaking: Golden State Warriors star Jimmy Butler has suffered a season-ending torn right ACL, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/WIbPQqubfJ
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 20, 2026

This is a massive blow for a Golden State team that was making a push in the Western Conference, winning four games in a row to improve to 25-19 this season. The Warriors are still the No. 8 seed in the West, but they are just two games out of the No. 5 seed with just under half of their regular-season games remaining.

Now, the Warriors are a major long shot to win the NBA Finals.

Butler's injury has moved the Warriors' title odds from +3500 to +7000, good for an implied probability of 1.41 percent. Steph Curry may be able to get Golden State into the play-in tournament and into the playoffs, but this team was already thin with proven scoring depth before Butler went down.

On top of that, the Warriors have yet to find a trade partner for Jonathan Kuminga, and it will be even harder to make a win-now move with Butler's season over.

In 38 games this season, Butler averaged 20.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game while shooting 51.9 percent from the field and 37.6 percent from 3-point range. It's possible the Warriors will attetmpt to trade Kuminga to help replace Butler's production, but this is looking like a lost season for Golden State.

The Warriors also have a quick turnaround on Tuesday, as they'll take on the Toronto Raptors in the second night of a back-to-back. It'll be interesting to see if Steve Kerr decides to play his normal rotation, or if the Warriors will sit some players as they try to figure out their next move this season.

At+7000, Golden State has the 13th-best odds in the NBA to win the Finals, and it's extremely hard to make a case for the Warriors beating any of the top teams in the West in a seven-game series with Butler out.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Claim the latest DraftKings promo code offer today. Sign up and win your first $5 bet to get $200 in bonus bets instantly.