Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler reportedly hasn’t been evaluated yet for his knee injury that he suffered on Wednesday night in the Heat’s loss to the Philadelphia 76ers in the play-in tournament.
According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, Butler is expected to miss multiple weeks, but multiple Miami Heat beat reporters have chimed in to share that Butler has yet to even undergo an MRI.
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. https://t.co/dEDMAuuXuN
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 18, 2024
The Sun Sentinel’s Ira Winderman shared that Butler’s MRI isn’t scheduled until 3:30 p.m. EST on Thursday, which would make it hard to know the exact extent of Butler’s injury without him undergoing the imaging.
Jimmy Butler, at this moment, has yet to have been evauated. At this moment, he has yet to see the Heat doctor. While the seriousness is apparent, even he is awaiting word.
— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) April 18, 2024
Jimmy Butler's MRI is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. So apparently some have seen an MRI that has yet to be done. Now, the assumption of extensive time sidelined certainly aligns with the injury.
— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) April 18, 2024
The Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson also chimed in on the Butler front, implying that Charania wants to jump in front of the story. He shared that there is no diagnosis of the Heat star just yet.
One national insider wants to jump ahead on the story, because that's what they try to do – and could ultimately end up right, if the MRI breaks in the writer's favor – but the beat writers are on top of it. While there's obvious concern, there's no MRI yet and thus no diagnosis… https://t.co/vC2LJxsRMx
— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) April 18, 2024
However, Jackson did suggest that Charania’s reporting will likely end up being right in the end.
All that being said, the national guys are correct in saying the fear is MCL, which is obviously a multi-week injury. One media difference across pro sports between the national insiders (who do good work) and local writers is an eagerness from national insiders to write what the… https://t.co/tNFEr33hBu
— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) April 18, 2024
No conflict. He will end up being right in all likelihood
— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) April 18, 2024
There is some serious concern with the Heat potentially having to play without Butler on Friday night against the Chicago Bulls in a win-or-go-home matchup for the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Butler went down in the first quarter on Wednesday after Kelly Oubre Jr. fell on his leg, but he ended up staying in the game for the Heat.
Jimmy Butler was shaken up after Kelly Oubre fell on his leg on this play.
He remained in the game. pic.twitter.com/XI882gNt9N
— ESPN (@espn) April 17, 2024
The star wing wasn’t himself, though, finishing the matchup with just 19 points on 5-of-18 shooting from the field.
Miami does have a lot of experience this season without Butler in the lineup, as he missed 22 games during the regular season. The Heat went 13-9 in those matchups.
Players like Tyler Herro, Bam Adebayo and potentially Terry Rozier, who missed Wednesday’s game with a neck injury, will be called upon to step up if Butler can’t go on Friday.
Herro scored 25 points in the loss to the Sixers, but he shot just 9-for-27 from the field. Plus, Adebayo was limited to just 10 points on nine shots in the loss. Miami will need him to be more aggressive if Butler doesn’t play.
Butler has been a dominant playoff performer in the past, leading the Heat to the Eastern Conference Finals in three of the four previous seasons. He’s also brought the franchise to the NBA Finals twice.
The Heat and Bulls are scheduled to tip off at 7 p.m. EST on Friday night at Kaseya Center in Miami.
