The Golden State Warriors had one pathway, and one pathway alone, to staying in their second-round series vs. Minnesota long enough for Stephen Curry to get back with a realistic chance to make a difference: Jimmy Butler had to step out of this so-called Robin role that he has so enthusiastically embraced and actually put his Batman suit back on.

When Butler went up for his ninth rebound of the series late in the first quarter of Game 2, both his legs were completely wiped out by a stumbling Amen Thompson. It sent him crashing to the floor from a height and at an angle he said caused a worse injury than the one he suffered on a similar fall earlier in his career.

It wasn’t the result the Bay was banking on, but don’t tell that to Jimmy Butler III. After the Golden State Warriors dropped a gritty 102-97 decision to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 3 on Saturday,