PHILADELPHIA — The Warmth concern guard Jimmy Butler sustained a attainable MCL harm to his proper knee throughout Miami’s 105-104 play-in match loss to the 76ers on Wednesday night time, sources confirmed to ESPN.
Butler was harm on the ultimate play of the primary quarter in Philadelphia, when after leaking out for a possible fast-break layup, he tried to faux out Kelly Oubre Jr. to try to make a layup, solely to have his knee buckle after it appeared Oubre landed on it, inflicting Butler to fall to the ground in ache.
“I fell, he landed and my knee simply did not do nicely, I suppose,” stated Butler, who stated he’ll be getting an MRI on his knee Thursday. “I do not know. It isn’t a superb feeling, I can inform you that.”
After spending an prolonged time frame on the bottom, Butler ultimately received to his ft and break up the 2 free throws.
Butler remained within the recreation however scored a complete of 12 factors the remainder of the way in which on 3-for-14 capturing, as Miami’s offense dried up after taking a 12-point halftime lead, permitting Philadelphia to return from behind and shut out the win.
Now, the query is whether or not Butler will likely be accessible to play when Miami hosts Chicago on Friday night time, with the winner getting the No. 8 seed.
“It felt like I could not do an excessive amount of, which sucks with the timing of the sport and every thing,” Butler stated. “I hope that I am high-quality. I hope that I get up tomorrow and may nonetheless stick-and-move. Proper now, I can not say that is the case.”
The Warmth are in precisely the identical state of affairs they have been in final yr: taking part in at dwelling to make the playoffs as an eighth seed. The winner of Friday’s matchup heads to Boston to play the Celtics on Sunday afternoon.
“We simply have to get one after which we’ll fear concerning the subsequent one,” Butler stated.
Butler stayed within the recreation hoping that sooner or later “adrenaline would chill in,” and he’d be capable of summon the flexibility to take over down the stretch. As an alternative, he went 3-for-10 within the second half and solely took two pictures within the fourth quarter — together with none within the ultimate 4 minutes.
“It simply wasn’t the case,” he stated. “I wasn’t in a position to do something on both aspect of the ball. I believe I harm us greater than I helped us really.”
The Athletic was first to report Butler’s attainable MCL harm.