Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler is expected to be out for several weeks with a right MCL injury that he suffered in Wednesday’s loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. Butler is expected to miss multiple weeks with the injury, according to a report from The Athletic’s Shams Charania: “The expectation is Miami’s Jimmy Butler will be out multiple weeks, sources said. Butler remarkably played the final three quarters vs. 76ers last night with what is now feared to be an MCL injury.”
Butler played through an MCL injury that he suffered on Wednesday night in the Heat’s 105-104 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA’s Play-In Tournament. Butler was hurt on the final play of the first quarter in Philadelphia, after trying to fake out Philadelphia’s Kelly Oubre Jr. to attempt to make a layup, only to have his knee buckle after it appeared Oubre landed on it, causing Butler to fall to the floor in pain (per ESPN). Despite the injury, Butler remained in the game but scored a total of 12 points the rest of the way on 3-for-14 shooting.
Butler said after the game that he would undergo an MRI on Thursday, adding “I hope that I wake up tomorrow and can still stick-and-move. Right now, I can’t say that’s the case.” He added that decided to stay in Wednesday’s game because he thought the “adrenaline would kick back in” and he would feel healthy enough to play at his usual level.
Butler, a six-time All-Star, averaged 20.8 points in 60 games for the Heat this season, with 5.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game this season on 49.9% shooting from the floor and 41.4% shooting from beyond the arc – marking his best three-point shooting percentage in his 13-year career (per SI.com).
The winner of Friday’s game between the Heat and the Bulls will face the Boston Celtics in the first round of the East playoffs, set to take place on Sunday at TD Garden.
Editorial credit: Leonard Zhukovsky / Shutterstock.com
