PHILADELPHIA — Moments after pulling off another defensive miracle, Jimmy Butler grimaced as he placed his hands on his knees. He signaled a teammate to take the ball on the ground on the next possession and not wait for him. He could no longer do the heavy lifting.
Late in the first quarter of the Miami Heat’s 105-104 Play-In tournament loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, Butler injured his right knee when Kelly Oubre Jr. fouled him. Throughout the night, Butler limped noticeably. As the Heat’s 12-point halftime lead disappeared and their offense was reduced to nothing, Butler stood tall in the corner. AthleticismShams Charania of ‘sa later reported that Butler had suffered an MCL injury.
“Honestly, I thought the adrenaline would come back and I would be able to move,” Butler said. “That just wasn’t the case. I couldn’t do anything on both sides of the ball. And I think I hurt us more than I helped us.
That remains up for debate, as Butler provided several key defensive plays to allow the Heat to even sniff at victory, providing the opportunity to advance to the playoffs to face the New York Knicks in the 2-7 series. Instead, they will face the Chicago Bulls on Friday night in Miami for the right to face the heavyweight Boston Celtics in the first round. This series will begin on Sunday.
What is clear, however, is that Butler’s decline is something the Heat’s offense cannot handle. He will have an MRI of his knee on Thursday and hopes the results will be better than how his knee felt.
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Jimmy Butler’s knee injury reveals Miami Heat’s lackluster offense