The Christmas Day showdown between the Heat and Sixers lost some more star power as Miami announced that Jimmy Butler will sit out due to a strained left calf, writes Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. This will be the third straight game that Butler has missed because of the calf issue. Haywood Highsmith (illness) and Josh Richardson (low back discomfort) also won’t play.
Philadelphia revealed on Sunday that reigning MVP Joel Embiid will be unavailable because of an ankle injury he suffered in Friday’s game. Embiid didn’t make the trip to Miami, and his status for Wednesday’s contest at Orlando hasn’t been determined. The Sixers are also without Nicolas Batum because of a strained right hamstring.
Butler has played in 23 of 29 games for the injury-riddled Heat, who rank among the league leaders in games missed as a result of injuries and illness. He’s averaging 21.5 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.6 assists per night while shooting 46.2% from the field and 37.7% from three-point range.
Miami is 3-3 without him in the lineup, notes Winderman, who points out that Butler has missed at least 18 games in each of his first four seasons with the Heat.
Winderman also reports that guard Dru Smith, who suffered a season-ending ACL injury in a November 22 game at Cleveland, is scheduled to undergo surgery on Friday. Smith’s injury led to numerous safety complaints about a courtside drop-off at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse.
Don’t have a cow, Heat fans!