The’s Heat‘s series-opening victory in New York included a sprained right ankle for star forward Jimmy Butler that might affect his status for Game 2 and beyond, writes Andrew Lopez of ESPN. Butler didn’t address the media after the game to talk about his condition, but he said in a brief ABC interview that it felt “like a rolled ankle.”
Butler was injured on a drive to the basket with 5:05 left to play. He collided with Josh Hart, who inadvertently kicked Butler’s ankle as both players fell to the court. Butler remained in the game, but was used almost entirely as a decoy and was clearly hobbled as he tried to move, Lopez adds.
“You just don’t know with ankle sprains,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said. “I don’t even know if we’ll know more by (Monday). We’ll just have to see. It’ll be a waiting game.”
Butler had 25 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and two steals as he played nearly 44 minutes and didn’t come off the court in the second half until the final seconds when the game was decided. He only took one shot after injuring the ankle, but he promised Spoelstra that he could stay in the game without hurting the team.
“I know him,” Spoelstra said. “I know when I can look in his eye. He assured me that he wasn’t going to be a liability and wanted to stay in there and make sure we get this swing. I mean that’s the most important thing. We’ve had a lot of chaos and a lot of things going on, but main thing being the main thing, we got to secure it and get the win and then we’ll figure out what happens in the next 48 hours.”
Butler has one day of rest before the series resumes Tuesday in New York, then a longer break before Game 3, which is Saturday in Miami. The first injury report for Game 2 will be released at 5:30 pm Monday, so we’ll get a better idea then of Butler’s status.
The Heat are already dealing with a depleted roster after first-round injuries to Tyler Herro, who is sidelined until at least early June following hand surgery, and Victor Oladipo, who will miss the rest of the playoffs following surgery on the torn patellar tendon in his left knee.
“This group has been through a lot,” Spoelstra said. “We’ve been through a lot this entire year and we’re not being insensitive to when guys get picked up or get hurt, but our group has learned to compartmentalize and focus on the task at hand and that’s what it was. There wasn’t an overreaction. We’ve had enough tears behind the scenes, some guys getting hurt and stuff like that. We have to get the job done.”
Chicago had Jimmy Butler and Thibs coaching him, and decided to move in a different direction with a trade to Minnesota.
Minnesota had Jimmy, KAT and Wiggins with Thibs .. Jimmy questioned the heart of the team …. Minnesota moved him to Philly.
Philly decided to roll with Ben Simmons to go with Embiid instead of keeping Jimmy, and adding what would have been a haul for Simmons via trade.
Hindsight 20/20 obviously but the Sixers probably have the most regret given what has transpired.
Definitely Minny having the most regret. If they’d actually been honest with Jimmy and listened to him, they might actually have a good team. The Sixers still have Embiid and they got Maxey and Harden out of the whole ordeal eventually. Would they be better with Jimmy? Yeah, absolutely. But they’re still a competent team.
They would’ve ended up with Maxey regardless, drafted him with with a pick that wasn’t involved in a Butler trade
Yeah, but he wouldn’t have gotten to show his stuff the way he did last season if Ben Simmons hadn’t decided to hold out.
I honestly think the Miami Heat should let Jimmy Butler miss game 2 and get that ankle together for he can be healthy the rest of the series and not risk re injuring it. Then game 3 ain’t until Saturday so he will get amble amount of rest.
PHI situation was complicated by the Process, and the kiddie culture it imposed on the organization. Butler was ready to sign before the head games, but PHI didn’t do anything in that period without drama. Eventually it became obvious to him that he didn’t fit.
MIN situation was inexplicable; as was the mindset of their young stars (Wiggins and KAT) it revealed. After years of hapless losing, they had a great chance to be part of a big 3 for a contending team (47-35 and ascending) under a veteran leader. They tossed it away because Butler was too ornery for their taste. The owner broke up the team (by refusing to pay Butler, and forcing his trade), but he was (or at least thought he was) following the direction of his two young stars.
You know why stuff like that doesn’t happen in Miami? Because Pat Riley makes it clear that he’s the boss. He doesn’t care if you’re LeBron, Alonzo, D-Wade, Bosh, Hardaway Sr., Shaq, Bam, Jimmy, or any star, he is the boss…period. And the players make sure that message is clear whenever someone new walks into the doors. It keeps some sense of order…for the most part.
Especially after securing game one You definitely sit Jimmy game 2. Decent amount of time to heal up between games one and three. Go Heat !!
Without JB Knicks have a chance
With the Knicks type of historical luck, Jimmy sits, but then Strus, Robinson, Vincent, Martin and Bam put up 20+ each while Lowry has a triple-double…and beat the Knicks by 30.