HOUSTON (AP) 鈥� Some have questioned whether Houston's Amen Thompson is a dirty player after Warriors star Jimmy Butler was injured in a scary fall during Game 2 when the Rockets guard took out the legs of the Golden State forward on a hard foul.
Thompson's teammate, Dillon Brooks, had other thoughts on the subject when asked about it Friday ahead of Saturday鈥檚 Game 3.
鈥淣o, I think the dirty player is Draymond (Green), giving him a little push as regular basketball players do,鈥� Brooks said. 鈥淎nd Jimmy鈥檚 fighting in the air for a rebound and stuff happens. Amen鈥檚 not a dirty player. He has (nothing) to do with being a dirty player.鈥�
Butler was listed as questionable Friday, a day ahead of the game at Chase Center. An MRI exam revealed he injured his pelvis and has a deep gluteal muscle contusion, the team said. Butler sustained that tied the first round series at 1-1.
Green was named the winner of the 2024-25 NBA Hustle Award on Friday.
Brooks said the Rockets must keep their focus on Game 3 and not be concerned about what people are saying about them.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not worried about that,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e on to the next game and we hope Jimmy can get better.鈥�
Golden State coach Steve Kerr said after the game that he doesn鈥檛 believe Thompson intended to hurt Butler.
鈥淲e didn鈥檛 think there was anything wrong with the play,鈥� Kerr said. 鈥淚t was just one of those plays.鈥�
When told Friday that Brooks called Green dirty, Kerr said: 鈥淒illon said that? Interesting.鈥�
during Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals of the Warriors鈥� championship run in 2022 fractured Payton's elbow. He returned for Game 2 of Golden State鈥檚 six-game NBA Finals victory over Boston.
Houston coach Ime Udoka weighed in on the play Friday.
鈥淚t鈥檚 obvious it wasn鈥檛 intentional,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou look at all the bodies in between and him getting bumped and tripped and the way he fell. You don鈥檛 fall into somebody face first on purpose.鈥�
Wednesday鈥檚 game became a bit chippy with players from both teams getting technical fouls in the second half and Houston鈥檚 Jalen Green receiving a flagrant foul when he flailed an arm into Draymond Green鈥檚 face.
鈥淎men鈥檚 obviously not a dirty player,鈥� Udoka said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a difference between aggressive, physical play and being dirty and you could question some of their things as well on their on their end.鈥�
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AP Sports Writer Janie McCauley in San Francisco contributed to this story.
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AP NBA:
Kristie Rieken, The Associated Press
