Jimmy Butler out vs. Nets with sprained ankle and an update on rest of Heat’s injuries
A matchup against the talented Brooklyn Nets is already challenging enough. But it just got a lot tougher for the Miami Heat.
The Heat ruled out star wing Jimmy Butler for Sunday afternoon’s nationally televised game against the Nets at AmericanAirlines Arena just a few hours before tip-off. Butler, who surfaced on the Heat’s injury report on Saturday night, will miss the contest because of a sprained right ankle.
The Heat enters Sunday’s game on a three-game losing skid.
Butler, 31, turned his right ankle in Tuesday’s road loss to the Phoenix Suns, but he went on to play in the final two games of the trip. The five-time All-Star finished Friday’s disappointing loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center with a dominant stat line that included 30 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists and three steals in 39 minutes.
Butler is averaging team highs in points (21.4), assists (7.2) and steals (2.1) this season.
Sunday marked the 16th game that Butler has missed this season, with the Heat posting a 4-11 record in its first 15 games without him. Miami is 24-17 when Butler has been available.
The Heat, as expected, has been a significantly better team with Butler this season. Miami entered Sunday outscoring opponents by 3.8 points per 100 possessions with Butler on the court, compared to opponents outscoring Miami by 7.5 points per 100 possessions when he’s not on the court.
The Heat will be without two starters on Sunday. Along with Butler, guard Victor Oladipo will miss his fifth consecutive game because of right knee soreness.
Oladipo is out indefinitely and the team said Sunday there is no update on his status. But Oladipo is feeling better, according to a league source, and he has not yet been ruled out for the season.
Veteran forward Andre Iguodala, who was listed as questionable with left hip soreness after sitting out Friday’s loss in Minnesota, is available to play Sunday.
The Nets will also be without one of their stars on Sunday. Brooklyn guard James Harden will miss his sixth straight game because of a right hamstring strain.
But Brooklyn will have its other two stars, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, available against Miami.
The Heat is right back at it Monday against the Houston Rockets at AmericanAirlines Arena on the second night of a back-to-back. Butler’s status for that contest is up in the air.
This story was originally published April 18, 2021 at 1:36 PM.
