SUMMARY
- Jimmy Butler endured an MCL injury during Game 1 of the Play-In Tournament vs. 76ers.
- Shams Charania revealed that he will most likely miss one or two months in rehab.
Jimmy Butler injured his MCL against the Philadelphia 76ers in the Play-In Tournament, competed through the entire game, and found out about his injury much later. Yes, it is quite a lot to soak in especially when it comes to understanding the dedication Butler has for the sport and most importantly, the Miami Heat’s success. Unfortunately, it was earlier reported that the 6x NBA All-Star won’t play basketball for multiple weeks.
The Heat lost to the Sixers after which they managed to grab a spectacular win against the Chicago Bulls. But the victory only placed them against the Boston Celtics in the first round. Without Butler’s veteran leadership, a matchup like the Celtics is extremely tough. Butler has managed to get the Heat past the Celtics every time in the playoffs. But with Game 1 already down the drain, the future seems grim for Miami.
Jimmy Butler is expected to miss at least one month in recovery
During a recent episode of Run It Back on Fanduel TV, Shams Charania gave a small update on what’s going on with Jimmy Butler. He said, “It’s crazy to me that Jimmy Butler played 3 quarters with what I’m hearing now it was a severe MCL sprain. He is not going to be back in this series. This is a rehab that’s going to go at least one month. [It] could be two months of rehab. This is something Jimmy Butler is going to have to work on.”
Jimmy Butler ruled out for Miami Heat vs Boston Celtics series, says @ShamsCharania
“He is not going to be back in this series. This is a rehab that’s gonna go at least one month, could be two months.”
(Via @RunItBackFDTV) #JimmyButler #MiamiHeat #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/3DtXLOtJWX
— Sportsmanor (@sports_manor) April 22, 2024
Charania also added, “Thankfully for him, it wasn’t the ACL, it wasn’t a meniscus. Even if the Heat were to advance in this first round, somehow, his post-season availability is still very much up in the air.” Miami played 22 games without Butler during the regular season and they somehow achieved a 13-9 record. However, one of those losses was against the Celtics. Miami and Boston only met twice during the regular season, and the latter walked away undefeated.
Jaime Jaquez Jr. steps up in place of Jimmy Butler
It is quite incredible how Jaime Jaquez Jr. has already found his place on the Miami Heat’s roster. He has established himself as a skilled scorer who averaged 15.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 3 assists in Jimmy Butler’s absence. Jaime recorded 21 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists against the Bulls during the final elimination game of the Play-In Tournament.
Ahead of the Heat vs Celtics series opener, Jaquez Jr. addressed not having Butler on the team due to the MCL injury. According to Diario AS, he said, “Ultimately, we’ve just got to bring that Miami Heat culture and that toughness… We’ve got to set the tone extremely early, impose our will on them, and make it real physical.” In Game 1, Jaime only finished with 16 points shooting 8-16 from the field, but not making shots from deep. His presence will be key to the Heat’s success over the next few games.