NBA: Heat guard Jimmy Butler injures knee in play-in loss
Miami Heat’s Jimmy Butler, right, gets treatment on his right knee from the training staff during the first half of the team’s NBA basketball play-in tournament game against the Philadelphia 76ers, Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in Philadelphia. The 76ers won 105-104. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
PHILADELPHIA — Miami guard Jimmy Butler says he will need an MRI on his right knee after he was injured in the first half of the Heat’s NBA play-in tournament loss to the 76ers.
Butler was hurt late in the first quarter when he tried to fake out Kelly Oubre Jr. on a bucket, only to have his knee buckle and he fell to the court. Oubre appeared to land on the Heat star, who led the franchise last season to the NBA Finals.
“I fell, he landed and my knee just didn’t do well, I guess,” Butler said. “I don’t know. It’s not a good feeling, I can tell you that.”
READ: NBA: Sixers rally to beat Heat, book playoff clash with Knicks
Butler sank the free throw, exhaled and missed the second one. He remained in the game and scored 19 points, but it wasn’t enough in Philadelphia’s 105-104 win on Wednesday night.
Jimmy Butler was shaken up after Kelly Oubre fell on his leg on this play.
He remained in the game. pic.twitter.com/XI882gNt9N
— ESPN (@espn) April 17, 2024
The Heat host Chicago on Friday night, with the winner getting the No. 8 seed.
“We just need to get one and then we’ll worry about the next one,” Butler said.
It was not immediately clear if Butler would be available to play.
“It felt like I couldn’t do too much, which sucks with the timing of the game and everything,” Butler said. “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.”
Butler, a former Sixer, scored 20.8 points in 60 games for the Heat. The 34-year-old Butler said he stayed in the game because he thought the “adrenaline would kick back in” and he would feel healthy enough to play at his usual level.
Butler was 5 of 18 from the floor overall but scored just two points in the fourth, when the Heat collapsed in the quarter.
“It just wasn’t the case,” he said. “I wasn’t able to do anything on either side of the ball. I think I hurt us more than I helped us actually.”
