Miami guard Jimmy Butler stated that he will need to undergo an MRI on his right knee following an injury he sustained during the first half of the Heat’s play-in tournament loss against the 76ers.
Butler got hurt late in the first quarter while attempting to deceive Kelly Oubre Jr. on a play, causing his knee to buckle as he fell to the ground. Oubre seemed to land on Butler, who led the Heat to the NBA Finals last season.
“I fell, he landed, and my knee just didn’t respond well, I guess,” Butler explained. “It’s not a pleasant feeling, I can tell you that.”
Despite the injury, Butler continued to play, scoring 19 points, but it wasn’t enough as the Heat lost 105-104 to the 76ers on Wednesday night.
The Heat will face Chicago on Friday night, with the winner securing the No. 8 seed. Butler expressed the team’s focus on winning one game at a time. It remains uncertain if Butler will be able to play in the upcoming games.
“It felt like I couldn’t perform at my best, which is frustrating given the timing of the game and everything,” Butler remarked. “I hope that I’m okay. I hope that I wake up tomorrow and can still move well. Right now, I can’t say that’s the case.”
Whether Butler is available or not, the Bulls anticipate a challenging match against the Heat.
“Even without Jimmy, they have a strong team culture,” said Chicago guard Ayo Dosunmu. “Whoever fills his spot, they won’t replicate everything he does. He’s an All-Star, a great player in this league, but Miami is known for their toughness, resilience, and relentless energy.”
Butler, who previously played for the Bulls and the Sixers, averaged 20.8 points in 60 games for the Heat this season. Despite his efforts, he felt he couldn’t perform at his usual level due to the injury.
“It just wasn’t happening,” he admitted. “I couldn’t contribute much on either end of the court. I think I may have hurt us more than helped us.”
