Heat star Jimmy Butler may have suffered a season-ending injury in Miami’s 105-104 loss to Philadelphia on Wednesday.
Miami’s best scorer may have sustained a knee injury during their play-in, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
“Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler is feared to have an MCL injury in his knee, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. The injury could sideline Butler for an indefinite period. MRI to come,” Shams reported on X.
In the dying seconds of the first half, Butler ran down the court and went to sink a shot when Sixers guard Kelly Oubre jumped up to try and block the shot and collided with Butler on the way down, hitting his knee.
Jimmy writhed around in pain on the floor after the play and shot his free throws – missing the second one.
“I fell, he landed and my knee just didn’t do well, I guess,” Butler said after the game. “I don’t know. It’s not a good feeling, I can tell you that.”
He looked ginger after the incident, but played through the entire game, finishing with 19 points, four rebounds and five steals in 40 minutes of playing time.
Upon exiting Wells Fargo Arena, Butler had a noticeable limp.
I’m no videographer, nor doctor, but this was a deflating scene to witness upon Miami’s exit tonight. Jimmy Butler’s status for Friday’s elimination game has to be in question. https://t.co/wzWxrjtfY3
— Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer) April 18, 2024
The Heat will next face the winner of the Bulls-Hawks game in an Elimination play-in on Friday, a game which Butler is very much in doubt for.
“We just need to get one and then we’ll worry about the next one,” Jimmy said.
He continued, “It felt like I couldn’t do too much, which sucks with the timing of the game and everything. I hope that I’m fine. I hope that I wake up tomorrow and can still stick-and-move. Right now, I can’t stay that’s the case.”
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