Butler won’t be able to join the Miami Heat in a crucial game on Friday against the Chicago Bulls due to a right knee injury, which will keep him out of action for several weeks. An MRI scan revealed a sprained MCL ligament, a type of injury that typically requires at least four weeks or longer to heal.
Even if Miami wins on Friday, they won’t have Butler for the first-round playoff clash against the Boston Celtics, who finished 18 games ahead of Miami and swept them 3-0 in the regular season.
“We’ll have to take the difficult route,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra commented after Wednesday night’s game in Philadelphia, where Butler played through the injury in a loss.
The challenge becomes tougher for the Eastern Conference titleholders without Butler. He sustained the injury in the first quarter of the Philadelphia game, playing through the pain for the remainder of the match. Despite his efforts, his mobility decreased as the game progressed, impacting his performance.
Butler expressed disappointment after the game, acknowledging that his injury hindered rather than helped the team. With Butler sidelined, the Heat face additional injury concerns.
