Miami guard Jimmy Butler harm his proper knee on Wednesday within the Warmth’s defeat in opposition to the Philadelphia 76ers, leaving his availability for the Friday play-in finale in opposition to the Chicago Bulls doubtful.
ESPN and The Athletic reported that Butler might need injured his medial collateral ligament.
Butler acknowledged after Miami’s 105-104 loss that he was headed for an MRI examination. He was injured when Philadelphia’s Kelly Oubre Jr. fell on him with 1.5 seconds to play within the first quarter.
“I fell, he landed and my knee simply did not do nicely, I suppose,” Butler stated. “I do not know. It is not feeling, I can let you know that.”
Butler obtained up from the collision and made 1 of two foul photographs, giving him seven factors on 2-of-4 capturing within the opening interval. He stayed within the sport however completed 5-for-18 from the ground, scoring 19 factors in 40 minutes.
“It felt like I could not do an excessive amount of, which sucks with the timing of the sport and every little thing,” Butler stated. “I hope that I am high quality. I hope that I get up (Thursday) and may nonetheless stick and transfer. Proper now, I can not say that is the case.”
After the loss at Philadelphia, the Warmth head residence to oppose the Bulls — one among Butler’s former groups. The winner of the latter contest will earn the Jap Convention’s No. 8 seed and a date with the top-seeded Boston Celtics within the first spherical of the playoffs.
Butler, 34, averaged 20.8 factors, 5.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists over 60 video games within the just-concluded common season. The six-time All-Star has profession averages of 18.3 factors, 5.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists with the Bulls (2011-12 to 2016-17), the Minnesota Timberwolves (2017-18 to 2018-19), the 76ers (2018-19) and the Warmth (2019-20 to current).
–Area Stage Media/Reuters
