Kofi Inkoom
11:00PM : Jimmy Butler is believed to have suffered an MCL injury in his knee, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. This injury could keep Butler off the court for an unspecified amount of time. Further details are expected pending an MRI as captured in the story below.
10:48PM : Jimmy Butler put up a solid performance on Wednesday night, tallying 19 points despite struggling with his shooting, making only 5 of his 18 attempts from the field.
Alongside his scoring, he contributed four rebounds, five assists, five steals, and two three-pointers in a close 105-104 defeat to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Butler seemed to sustain a right knee injury towards the end of the first quarter when Kelly Oubre inadvertently landed on it. However, he toughed it out and played through the discomfort, completing the game.
Despite logging a hefty 40 minutes on the court, there appears to be no immediate concern regarding his availability for Friday’s game. Nonetheless, there’s a possibility that he might appear on the injury report as a precautionary measure.
Following the game, Butler said he expects to undergo an MRI on his knee, a decision that has been confirmed by the team. He was also spotted walking with a significant limp on his way out of Wells Fargo Center, as noted by Jake Fischer of YahooSports.
Jimmy Butler limped out of Wells Fargo Center after the Heat’s play-in loss.
(via @JakeLFischer) pic.twitter.com/xrb78IHM4d
— Ball Don’t Lie (@Balldontlie) April 18, 2024
Although his shooting wasn’t on point, Butler compensated by making significant contributions on the defensive end, amassing a notable number of steals.
Looking ahead, Butler and his team are set to host Friday’s game, where they will take on the victor of the Bulls versus Hawks matchup. The winner of that game will advance to face the Boston Celtics.