Heat guard Jimmy Butler is listed as “Out” with a sprained MCL for No. 8 Miami’s play-in elimination game on Friday, April 19, against the No. 9 Chicago Bulls.
Butler was injured late in the first quarter of Miami’s first-round play-in game against the Philadelphia 76ers when he tried to pump fake a layup on a fast break against Sixers’ guard Kelly Oubre Jr. However, instead of Oubre Jr. flying by to grant Butler an easy layup, Oubre Jr. landed on Butler and appeared to have buckled his right knee.
Jimmy Butler injured his right knee on this play right here
— Dr. Evan Jeffries, DPT (@GameInjuryDoc) April 17, 2024
Concern would be from the weight of Oubre when he fell on Butler causing possible
-MCL sprain
-Meniscus injury pic.twitter.com/NnGabXb5pa
Butler averaged 20.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, and five assists per game in the 2023-2024 season, leading the Miami Heat in points and assists per game. Without Butler on the court, guards like Tyler Herro and Caleb Martin must step up to fill Butler’s role on the team.
Miami takes on Chicago on Friday, April 19, at 7:00 p.m. EST, where the winner will clinch a playoff berth, securing the No. 8 seed in the East, and will face the Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs.
